


Christmas Grace

by solar_baeby



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, BL, Boys In Love, Christmas, Christmas fic, Eventual Romance, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-01 17:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16770034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solar_baeby/pseuds/solar_baeby
Summary: Kaiba and Yami have been rivals since high school. But will working together in the same company, and their younger brothers dating, bring them closer together this holiday season?





	1. 'Tis the Season

**Author's Note:**

  * For [QuinnAnderson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuinnAnderson/gifts).



"What did you say?"

The testing room was loud, filled with the sounds of fake explosions, carefully chosen victory and "Game Over" music, and the hacking and slashing effect noises of Kaiba Corp's newest game. Yet everyone, even the testers engrossed in the game, heard Seto Kaiba's deadly calm voice above the din. They knew better than to stop what they were doing, but even the threat of an angry Kaiba wasn't enough to prevent several pairs of eyes from becoming onlookers to the inevitable fight.

The young CEO of Kaiba Corp, Japan's greatest gaming company, was currently towering over a young man seated before one of the many gaming consoles. Seto Kaiba looked intimidating in his dark winter trench coat and gloves (he was, after all, about to leave), and the glare on his face could have melted a glacier. But it didn't seem to affect the young man it was directed at, who just stared up at him calmly, a smirk playing at his lips.

"I said," Yami Motou, the tester, drawled, "that the game needs work. It's not ready yet; you would only be wasting money."

"May I remind you that the game you're talking about is one that I personally designed and created, and that has received passing marks from four other testers?" Kaiba wanted to wipe the smirk off of Yami's face. He had known, when his former rival had come to him two years ago requesting work, that it was a bad idea. But Mokuba had pouted and pulled the "little brother" card, and Yugi (Yami's younger twin and Mokuba's boyfriend) had given him such a plaintive look at one dinner that Kaiba had had little choice than to at least put Yami on a probationary period, which the elder Motou twin had then passed with flying colors. He had worked harder than many of the game testers who weren't on probation, he had creative ideas and suggestions, and he seemed to anticipate Kaiba's concerns with a game before he even voiced them. But now it seemed Yami had the gall to assume that just because he had a full-time job here at the company, he could now criticize work Kaiba had personally done.

Yami rolled his eyes, and placed the controller he had been using onto the tray in front of him. "Mr. Kaiba," he said (Kaiba was never able to find a hint of sarcasm when Yami called him that), "that might be the problem. How old are you?"

Kaiba scoffed. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Would you please just answer the question?"

"Twenty-seven, as you know."

"And what is your IQ?"

"Far above yours, and I still don't see where these questions are heading."

"What is the game you're best at?" Yami continued, ignoring Kaiba's growing impatience.

"Would you just get on with it already?" When Yami only glared at him, Kaiba rolled his eyes and said, "Chess." He decided he didn't like that almost smug look on Yami's face, or the way he crossed his legs and folded his arms as he leaned back in the chair. Like he was the one with the upper hand.

"First of all Mr. Kaiba, those four other testers probably gave this game an okay because they were scared to lose their jobs if they criticized your work." Yami and Kaiba both glanced over at the others in the room, who all looked away. Four sitting at units similar to Yami's looked especially guilty. Yami chuckled, and then turned back to Kaiba. He held up a hand, one finger raised, and then he raised another. "Secondly, you yourself have just proven my point. This game is a creation made from _your_ interests. Didn't you say this game was supposed to be for children ten years and older?"

"I did," Kaiba said. He was careful to sound bored, even though Yami was slowly earning his interest.

"Mr. Kaiba, this game takes too much thought for a child of ten. Your basic story is interesting, but the game play would frustrate even the most advanced child gamer. The three decks a player can choose from are unevenly made. Each one of the duels takes _me_ at least thirty minutes to complete; a child would take even longer. And they would have to duel the same person and win many times in order to even make another enemy's territory even slightly accessible to their deck."

"Do you even have a point?" Kaiba drawled. Cold blue clashed with burning crimson as he and Yami looked at one another.

"You need to make this more accessible to children. Take out the chess aspect of the duels, and re-think how the preliminary decks are laid out. And get rid of that ridiculous notion of cards being lieutenants, generals, and god knows what else; even I tossed the information aside after five minutes of reading it."

Kaiba was silent. No doubt the others in the room thought he was angry; he knew Yami wasn't fooled, and honestly he couldn't fool himself. If he was angry, it wasn't at Yami for explaining this to him, but at the testers who _hadn't_ pointed these things out, and at himself for not noticing them. He looked at the screen in front of Yami, where it was currently paused on the duel from the game they had been discussing. He looked at the terrain, at the monsters hovering over the cards. The brunette stepped forward, until he stood next to Yami, and reached out to grab the controller. With the information he had memorized when making the game, he forfeit the match, then opened his deck and scrolled through. Then, Kaiba chose a different opponent (this one an ugly fellow with blue hair and glasses) and began a new game. The room was silent as he worked, all eyes in the room on him. Kaiba placed the controller down ten minutes later, but didn't look at Yami.

"We'll put this project on hold until after the holidays. When the testing center opens again in four days, we'll discuss the changes that need to be made." Kaiba could feel all their eyes on him, but especially one pair in particular. He could feel Yami's eyes watching him, and somehow he knew Yami guessed everything he was thinking. He could picture them perfectly: how they would be narrowed, unwavering in their gaze, burning with Yami's intensity. The same way they were whenever they played a game together.

"Any suggestions you have today, write them down. I'll hear them out in four days. Finish what you're doing, and get out of here so we can close the building." The brunette looked at his watch. He had to meet Mokuba at the airport in an hour, and if he didn't leave now he'd get caught in holiday/rush hour traffic. "Enjoy your time off, and be prepared to work hard when you return."

"Kaiba," Yami called to him as Kaiba walked off. The brunette paused and looked back; it was never a good thing when Yami wore that smirk, but the look suited him. "Not even going to say Merry Christmas?"

Kaiba answered Yami's smirk with one of his own as he said, "Bah, humbug." Yami's laugh echoed in his ears as he walked out the door.

**X X X**

Yami stayed at the office until it was time for him to leave. Despite Kaiba's words, he wasn't going to hurry through his work. He knew the man wouldn't appreciate half-assed work, and he respected Kaiba (and the job the man gave him) too much to slack. Every other tester in the room had left twenty minutes after it was confirmed that Kaiba had indeed left the building. Yami had stayed behind, stubbornly playing Kaiba's ridiculously difficult and convoluted game to make it more…well, fun. The game was just as complex, irritating, and cold as Yami's employer. The rules were so intricate it was hard to feel anything towards the game.

_But that doesn't describe Kaiba anymore,_ Yami thought with a smile. It was true, in the beginning. Kaiba had been so complex a person when they first met that all Yami wanted to do was leave him alone or wring his neck. He was stubborn, cold, indifferent, prideful, and so arrogant he could have given his rival, Duke Devlin, a run for his money. In fact, all through high school and college Yami had thought the same of Kaiba. But the shorter male enjoyed a challenge, and he had decided to view Kaiba as a puzzle. He was given an added incentive when, four years ago, Yugi had begun to date Kaiba's younger brother Mokuba. It had been a shock to all parties involved, and Yami remembered more than one argument between the Kaiba brothers.

But Kaiba, like Yami, didn't want to lose his other half. He had come to grudgingly accept the relationship, and in the past year had actually become a frequent presence at the Motou house; on Mokuba's insistence, of course. With this new relationship, Yami _had_ to figure Kaiba out, because he would be seeing a lot more of him. He knew how deeply Yugi and Mokuba cared for one another, and how much it would mean to both of them if Kaiba and he could get along.

Yami smiled as he remembered the day he came to Kaiba Corp and applied for a job as a game tester. He had heard from both Mokuba and Yugi about how much Kaiba didn't want him working here. Yami himself had fully expected to be turned out on his ass. But he did have a major in game design, in the top five percent of his class, and he knew what Kaiba wanted better than anyone. He should, with how many games they had played together in their never-ending rivalry. Kaiba had looked like he was being put through the worse torture imaginable when Yami had come into the office expecting to be turned down, only to be offered a job as a game tester for a probationary period. If he gave satisfying results for three months, he would get the job full-time. If not…well, then he was screwed. Needless to say, Yami had worked hard and gotten the job.

And in the past two years he had gotten to know Seto Kaiba _very_ well. He knew that Kaiba stayed late every night, sometimes working until three in the morning even when everyone went home. He knew that Kaiba took any failure personally, and worked twice as hard to make up for it. Yami knew that Kaiba made the rounds of the building at least twice, that he took his work home with him even when he stayed late, and that he preferred tea to coffee (which had been a very shocking discovery). And he had found out that Kaiba was far from the block of ice he tried to be.

Last year, Mokuba had gotten in a car accident on the way to work. Yami had been in Kaiba's office with him, discussing the possibility of making an updated version of one of Kaiba Corp's older games, when the brunette had gotten the call. Kaiba had turned pale, and he had literally fallen into his chair. Yami had never seen the other male as reckless as he had been that day. His pride and arrogance had been ripped to shreds in the face of losing the one person he cared about more than anyone else in the world. Yami had ridden with him to the hospital; had seen him all but punch the doctor who had dared to tell him no visitors were allowed. He had sat all through the night with Kaiba while Yugi got on the first plane he could from America back to Japan. All through the night they had sat in those uncomfortable chairs. And at some point, when Yami was dozing off, he had heard a soft sound.

Yami would never forget how Kaiba looked then; hunched over in the chair, his fingers clutching his hair as he fought to hold in his pain. Yami had known that Kaiba had blamed himself; had worried; had wished it had been him and not Mokuba. He had known that Kaiba had felt broken. He had also known that he couldn't comfort Kaiba the way he would later comfort Yugi; the brunette would have killed him. All he could have done (all he _did_ do) was to brush his fingers lightly across Kaiba's shoulder. Kaiba had looked up, but Yami had closed his eyes once again.

Not much had happened, but ever since then things weren't as tense between them. They were rivals, but they were also something else. Yami didn't know what. That night many things had changed between them, including how Yami felt about the arrogant bastard.

"Not that he's ever going to notice," Yami muttered as he shut down his station. He stood and stretched, groaning as the muscles in his back ached. This job probably wasn't good for his health, but at least it was fun. Where else would he get paid for playing games? He hurriedly cleaned up his area and made sure everything was in order; Kaoru, the guy who worked the front desk, couldn't leave until he did. He shrugged on his coat, pausing when he smelled a bit of cologne that most definitely wasn't his. It was faint, but definitely there; it must have come from Kaiba, when he had stood here looking over the game. He had been so close Yami had felt the roughness of Kaiba's coat brush against his hand. Had Kaiba touched Yami's coat? He didn't know, but the smell of the cologne strangely made Yami feel warmer.

_It's almost like I'm wearing his coat,_ he thought, and immediately blushed when he did. He coughed and buttoned up the coat, reaching under the desk to grab his bag. When he checked his phone, he noticed a message from Yugi telling him Mokuba was coming over for dinner. Which meant Kaiba would be there. If Yugi wasn't telling Yami he was going out, and he wasn't telling Yami to go away, it meant Mokuba would be joining _them_ for dinner. And since the younger Kaiba had been gone for three weeks on a business trip, it meant the older Kaiba would join them because Mokuba would have begged and pleaded. Yami smiled and put his phone in his pocket. He had to hurry and pick up the wine. Only the best for the Kaiba brothers, after all.


	2. I'll Be Home

"Remind me why you couldn't wait a few more hours to see him?" Kaiba asked, looking briefly at the passenger seat at his younger brother. Mokuba had grown, and grown well, in the past years. He had always been short for his age, but he finally hit his growth spurt when he was sixteen. Now he was almost as tall as Kaiba. His hair was still long, although now the younger Kaiba tamed it with a hair tie so it looked somewhat professional when he did business. However, despite his position as the COO of Kaiba Corp, Mokuba still held that childhood innocence and enthusiasm that he always had. It made him a valuable asset to the company, and it made Kaiba happy that his brother hadn't turned out like him. He was certain those were also the traits that made Yugi fall in love with him in the first place; that, and Mokuba's determination. Kaiba had heard the stories of how Mokuba had pursued the younger Motou twin, and he had to admit it was a trait he and his brother shared.

"Because it's been three weeks Seto," Mokuba replied with a laugh. "I haven't even been able to talk with him because I've been busy with that business venture, and he's been busy with the shop. You know how popular it's grown."

The Kame Game Shop, which Yugi and Yami had lived in all their lives, had flourished in the past years; mainly because Yugi and Yami both kept receiving wide-spread attention for their gaming achievements, and because the shop was featured in many of Kaiba Corp's advertisements. It had been Mokuba's idea (which Kaiba had no doubt was to get Yugi's attention), and Kaiba had gone along with it only because Yugi and Yami's image and status would help sell his products as well as his own status would.

"Well forgive me for wanting to spend some time with my brother before I'm pushed to the side," Kaiba quipped, trying to hide a smirk. As much as he wished that Mokuba had chosen someone else to love, he couldn't deny that Yugi and his brother were good for each other. They had their differences, but they had enough in common to make it work. Yugi gave Mokuba the love Kaiba knew his brother had craved for years, and Mokuba gave Yugi the support Yami and his friends couldn't give. They were a good couple, as much as it killed him to admit it. He'd never tell them this, of course, but he guessed Mokuba at least knew they had his approval.

"Aw, is the big bad Kaiba Corp CEO feeling lonely?" Mokuba teased, reaching out and pinching Kaiba's cheek lightly. He laughed as Kaiba frowned, and relaxed into his seat. "You know big brother, you wouldn't be so lonely if you'd just tell Yami how you feel." The atmosphere in the car grew tense, or so it seemed to Kaiba. He could feel Mokuba watching him, a soft grin on his lips. It never failed. Somehow, some way, that particular topic was always brought up in conversation.

"Mokie," Kaiba warned, "don't go there."

"Seto, it's been seven years. Yami isn't her; he won't hurt you like _she_ did."

"She didn't hurt me, Mokie. Besides, that has nothing to do with it, and you know it."

"Wrong big brother, it has _everything_ to do with it and _you_ know it. You can't fool me; you've liked Yami for at least a year now. Or did you think I wouldn't notice the way you've been watching him? You've given him more attention since the accident, and you're nicer to him than you are to Yugi. And Yugi you at least have a reason to be nice."

Kaiba couldn't say anything. It would be pointless to deny it; Mokuba would see right through it. Gone were the days when his brother would believe anything he said. Somehow, over the years, Mokuba had learned to read him like a book. He couldn't hide anything from Mokuba anymore; not even how he felt.

"Seto," Mokuba said gently, "don't you think it's time _you_ find some happiness for once? You always worry about someone else's. You accepted my relationship with Yugi because you knew it would make _me_ happy; you helped Yugi keep the game shop open and running after his grandfather died because it would make _Yugi_ happy; and you gave Yami a job because it would make _Yami_ happy. Can't you do something for yourself for once?"

"You're wrong Mokuba," Kaiba said tersely, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. His leather gloves creaked, and he relaxed his hold. "The only one I did anything for was you. I helped Yugi because it was good business for me; it helped Kaiba Corp's image. I gave Yami a job because you and Yugi wouldn't leave me alone about it. He just happened to do better than the other applicants, so I let him keep the job. There were no other reasons."

"Would you just grow up Seto?" Mokuba snapped. "Why can't you just admit that you care? Quit being such an _idiot_ and just fess up to yourself, if no one else. You can play the role of the bastard all you want, but I know what's really behind that act, and I know what you're making the world miss out on. And if you keep it up, _you'll_ be the one missing out on something."

"And what would that be, Mokuba? Love? Happiness? That's so cliché it makes me sick." Kaiba felt, more than saw, his brother pound on the dashboard.

"Would you just shut up and listen for once? I wasn't going to say either of those."

"Then what _were_ you going to say, oh great Mokuba?" By this time they had reached the game shop. Kaiba parked the car, turned the key, and then faced his brother with an eyebrow raised. Mokuba met his gaze head-on, all but glaring at the elder Kaiba.

"I was going to say that if you keep it up, you'll miss out on being you."

**X X X**

"I hear the car!" Yugi exclaimed excitedly. He looked over his shoulder at Yami, who was setting the table. "Is everything ready? Does it look okay?"

Yami chuckled as he placed down the last fork. "Yes, Yugi, everything is fine. The table is set, the food is nearly done, and everything is spotless." He tilted his head, and smirked. "How are you able to hear the car, anyway? With how much Kaiba spends to keep it up, you shouldn't be able to hear it at all." He saw Yugi blush, and added, "Let me guess, the power of love?"

"Oh shut up." Yugi threw the oven mitt he had just taken off at Yami, who caught it and laughed again. He followed Yugi to the door, which Yugi opened to let the Kaiba brothers in. They were just getting out of the car, and judging by the way they were walking…

"They were fighting," Yugi said softly. Worry tinged his voice, and Yami reached up to clasp his shoulder.

"Just act like nothing's wrong," Yami murmured. "You'll find out from Mokuba later." He saw Yugi nod, and he gave his brother's shoulder another gentle squeeze before he moved aside. "About time you two got here," he said when Mokuba and Kaiba had reached them. Yugi was instantly drawn into Mokuba's arms, and Yami smiled again. "We thought you had gotten lost."

"Bad traffic," was Kaiba's curt reply. Yami saw Mokuba glare at the elder Kaiba, and he raised a brow. Mokuba just shrugged and allowed Yugi to draw him inside. Yami and Kaiba followed them. Kaiba shrugged his coat off, and Yami took it from him to hang it. The same cologne he had smelled on his own coat earlier coated Kaiba's jacket, and it almost made the shorter male dizzy.

"You came just in time," Yugi was saying with a smile. "Dinner just came out of the oven. Yami even picked us up some wine not too long ago."

Immediately Kaiba looked at him, and Yami tried not to look away. "And when did you leave?"

"When I finished working," Yami said innocently, hanging up the coat and leading the way into the dining room. It was gaily decorated with green and red, and silver and gold Christmas decorations. Gaudy and tacky, everything Christmas was supposed to be.

"And what time did you finish working?" Kaiba inquired as he took a seat at the table, beside his brother. Their bond was still strong, even when fighting. Yami quietly cursed him, taking his own seat opposite the CEO.

"At the usual time."

"Did you at least finish everything?"

"Yes, and you'll have a nice long list waiting in your office in four days." He smirked as Mokuba snickered and Yugi grinned. Kaiba was the only one with a poker face on. Yami turned his attention to the smaller Kaiba. "Thank god you're back, Mokuba. Yugi's been going crazy since you left. I swear I've heard him sigh at least three times a day."

"Yami!" Yugi exclaimed as he blushed bright red and Mokuba laughed. Yami just smirked and poured a bit of wine into everyone's glasses.

"Come on, Yugi, get the food out here. Mokuba's been on a plane for a few hours, and if I know Kaiba he hasn't eaten yet today."

"You're probably right," Mokuba muttered, which just caused Kaiba to glare again.

"Well he'll have plenty to eat now," Yami cut in, trying to stop the building argument. "Yugi's been in the kitchen all day."

"And it's all ready now," Yugi added, sending his brother a grateful smile. "Mokuba, will you help me bring the food in from the kitchen?"

"Sure thing Yugi." Mokuba rose from his seat, and soon it was only Kaiba and Yami left in the room.

Yami looked across the table at the brunette. He could tell the other hadn't slept much; there were dark circles forming under his eyes, and he looked a little pale. Yami made a note to drive Mokuba and Kaiba home. No doubt Mokuba was exhausted from his flight, and if Yami knew Kaiba the brunette was going to be drinking plenty of wine. Especially since tonight's selection was suited to his tastes. But even tired, Kaiba was still every inch the effortlessly elegant and commanding businessman he was at work. He sat straight, arms folded defensively across his chest, and a careful, almost bored look on his face.

"Do you ever relax?" Yami asked suddenly. He put his elbow on the table and cradled his chin in his hand, staring at the other male. "You're not at work; you're not in front of a million reporters; you're in front of family, and friends. Relax a little."

"I am," Kaiba replied, startling the shorter male. "If I weren't relaxed, I wouldn't even be in this house, let alone sitting here."

Yami chuckled. "So you're saying you're comfortable here?"

"You're putting words in my mouth."

"No, I'm just reading around what you're saying."

"Then clearly you're illiterate."

That caused Yami to laugh again. He heard the clattering of dishes, and Yugi saying something to Mokuba. The elder Motou stared at Kaiba through hooded eyes. "Look, Kaiba," he said, "we know you two were fighting before you got here. But please, for the love of God, don't continue now. Yugi's excited to see Mokuba again and he worked hard on this dinner, so I won't let you and you're argumentative nature ruin it." Yami saw Kaiba open his mouth to speak, and he cut in. "No, no arguing. Be silent if you must, but don't start anything."

"It was his fault," Kaiba said calmly.

"What are you, five?"

"No, but clearly you are if you're butting into other people's business."

"Business that just so happens to include my brother," Yami pointed out. Although Kaiba hadn't said it, Yami knew the other would behave. Even arrogant Seto Kaiba wasn't willing to ruin what would probably be the best dinner he'd had in weeks.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Yugi asked as he walked into the room bearing a steaming serving bowl. Mokuba followed behind him, holding a tray that held individual bowls of rice.

"You two better not be fighting again," Mokuba lectured, eyeing his brother. "You two might as well be married with how often you argue."

Yami watched in interest as Kaiba suddenly glared at his younger brother. _What is that, the third time in ten minutes?_ _Something about that got to him_ , Yami thought. _But what?_ If Kaiba had been indifferent to the comment, he would have just ignored it. But he had reacted by glaring. Interesting. _But now's not the time to think on that_. Before Kaiba could open his mouth, Yami gave his leg a gentle kick under the table. Not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to get his point across. Kaiba turned his glare on him, but Yami just smirked in return.

"It smells good, Yugi," he told his brother.

"Hopefully it'll taste better," Yugi replied with a laugh, carefully ladling the stew he had made into their bowls. He passed them out one by one as Mokuba placed the bowls of rice at each setting.

"Hey, it has to be better than that crap they give you on planes," Mokuba joked. "I rode first class, and it still tasted awful."

"Of course, because it wasn't made by your lover," Yami said. He winked, and then laughed as Yugi blushed a bright red.

"Yami!"

"Okay, okay, I'll behave." It was so much fun teasing Yugi; even after all these years, his younger brother was still so innocent. Despite all the bullying, and all the hardships of growing up, Yugi was still the kind and trusting puzzle lover he had always been. But looking at him now, and the way he and Mokuba were looking at one another, Yami was jealous. Watching the two interact with one another always made him feel lonely. It had been years since Yami's last relationship, and he had to admit he missed having someone to talk to, to cuddle in bed with, to share his problems with. _It's not like I don't have options_ , he thought as Yugi and Mokuba took their seats. _But it doesn't help the one I want is a little….dense._

"Time to dig in!" Mokuba crowed.

Yami couldn't help but smile. He enjoyed nights like this. After their grandfather died, the store had been empty. When it was just Yugi and him, the place felt so much bigger than it was. It hadn't taken them long to realize that their grandfather's personality is what had made the store and their home so warm and welcoming. That same feeling had returned the first night Mokuba and Kaiba had come over for dinner. It was always lively when the two brothers came over, and Yugi and Yami both looked forward to the visits; for a number of reasons.

"You said you picked this wine, Yami?"

Yami looked across the table at Kaiba, who had asked the question, and nodded. Mokuba wore a smug smirk, and Yugi just smiled into his food. "Yes, I did."

"Of course."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

For the third time that day, their eyes met and held. Yami felt his breath being carried away, frozen in his lungs as he looked at Kaiba. He had heard the women at work talk about Kaiba; they always described his eyes as ice, or sapphires, or some other hard or cold object. But no, they weren't; right now, as Yami looked at them, they were blue flame. Alive, vibrant, and with a heat that threatened to burn anything that touched them. Yami could feel himself burning alive just sitting here.

"It means," Kaiba replied, "that it's passable."

Yami paid no attention to the shared smiles of Mokuba and Yugi; he didn't pay attention to the fact that his food was growing cold, or that Kaiba was no longer looking at him. All he paid attention to was the unspoken message in Kaiba's words.

_"You did a good job."_

That compliment would keep Yami warm all night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention everyone's age in this fic, so here it is for anyone curious. All ages are based on the American dub of the anime, so Mokuba is only 3 years younger than Kaiba. 
> 
> Kaiba, Yami, Yugi: 27  
> Mokuba: 24


	3. Grown-Up Christmas List

“Are you sure you don't want to come?”

Kaiba had escaped into his study inside the vast mansion hours ago with the intention of working his way through the holiday. He had succeeded, until thirty minutes prior to Mokuba's interruption. At that time, the clouds that had hovered over the city for days had finally relented and released their precious cargo of soft, carefully crafted snowflakes. The young CEO had glanced up at his window, and had instantly become mesmerized by the sight of the snow gently falling among the silent trees that helped to guard his home. When Mokuba stepped into the room to see him, he found his brother standing at the window, leaning against the wall nonchalantly. Kaiba looked up, and swept his gaze over his brother.

Mokuba was definitely dressed for a night with his lover. Snug, comfortable jeans wrapped around his legs and disappeared into the boots chosen to protect his feet from the snow and cold. Kaiba recognized the rich brown sweater and red hand-knit scarf as previous Christmas gifts from Yugi. The coat Mokuba was struggling to button was a gift Kaiba had given him earlier in the day, and the gloves tucked into the pockets were from Yami. Seems his brother really was going all out on sentimentality this year.

“Why on earth would I want to go?” Kaiba finally answered as he crossed the room to sit at his desk. He leaned back in the chair, and directed a pointed look at Mokuba. “You know very well you and Yugi want to spend this night alone together; I have no wish to be the odd man out and watch you two act sickeningly cute, when I have work to do.”

“Really Seto? You think we're cute?” Mokuba teased, which his brother ignored. “Seriously though. Don't you want to get out of the house? Or at least, you know, _not_ work? You've given all your employees the holiday off, why don't you take a vacation yourself?”

“Because if I do that, then nothing will ever get done.”

Now it was Mokuba's turn to roll his eyes. “Whatever you say Seto. Just...please remember to take a break and eat, alright? You're on your own for cooking; I gave the staff the day off.”

“I'll eat when I'm hungry.” Kaiba turned his attention from his brother to his computer, where he began to work once more. He heard a sigh, but he didn't bother to glance up again.

“Alright, have it your way. I'll be back tomorrow.” Mokuba's footsteps were a whisper on the expensive carpeting as he walked to the door. “Merry Christmas, Seto.”

And just like that Kaiba was alone again. Truly alone, if what Mokuba had said about giving the staff the night off was true. Which it probably was, because his brother was just that kindhearted. A heaviness settled over Kaiba, something he had grown used to. It had been there ever since his brother had begun growing up. For years, Mokuba had been the one constant in his life; the only person he had ever needed. But now, Mokuba was forming a life of his own. Kaiba knew how much Mokuba hated the mansion; he always had. It had never been home to him. He also knew that the time was coming when Mokuba would leave. He was a young man now; he was finished with college, and had a successful place in the company. It was only natural that he would want a life of his own.

Kaiba rose from his seat once more, and moved to the window. Looked outside at the lonely, silent, beautiful landscape. Looked at the new snow beginning to cover the old. It would take a few hours, at least, for the new layer to be completed. How long would it take him, Kaiba wondered, to rebuild once Mokuba left?

_“I'm leaving, Seto.”_

Blue eyes slid closed, and Kaiba, in a moment of weakness, leaned his head against the cold window pane. The heaviness settled closer; a cloak that was almost comforting in its familiarity, but from whose hold Kaiba wished to escape.

_“Everything's a game to you, isn't it?”_

Kaiba straightened. He glanced at his desk, and shook his head. There was no way he was going to get any work done like this. With one last look out the window, he strode from the room, flicking the lights off after him. If he remembered correctly, their cook had stocked up on a few bottles of good wine.

**X X X**

He should have seen this coming. Really, he should have. Hadn't it been happening for the past few years? Yet here Yami was, a fool who had been expecting to be able to relax in his own home on Christmas Eve. A home he happened to share with a beloved younger brother, who had a lover to spend the most romantic day of the year with.

When Yugi had hesitantly shuffled into his room and told Yami that Mokuba was coming over, the elder twin had only been able to stare at his brother blankly. It was only when he noticed the present in Yugi's hands, and the care the younger had put in his appearance, that everything had clicked together. Yami gave his brother a sheepish grin, turning fully in the seat at his desk to look directly at Yugi.

“Let me guess,” the older twin said, “you want me to get lost.”

“What? No!” Yugi exclaimed. He stopped his wild gesturing when he saw the look on Yami's face.

“Don't worry about it,” Yami replied, shrugging. “You've been doing this the past few years; I'm used to it. I would have been gone before now, but I kinda forgot what day it was.”

“You forgot what day it was,” Yugi repeated dryly. “Right. I'm sure all the racket I've been making downstairs hasn't registered with you at all.”

“Nope.”

“Not even the radio?”

“Uh-uh.”

“Or the smell of food?”

“Seriously Yugi, I forgot. I was kind of...distracted.”

“By what?” By this point Yugi had moved fully into the room and sat on Yami's bed, placing the present beside himself. He looked curiously at his brother, who now looked almost guilty. “What distracted you so much you forgot what today was?”

“...Work.”

To most people, that one word wouldn't have meant much. They would have asked for an explanation, or just taken it at face value and would have told Yami he needed to take a break. But most people weren't Yami's twin, the one person who knew Yami as well as Yami knew himself. Yugi's gaze softened, and Yami found he had to turn away and avoid his brother's eyes.

“You're never going to give up on him, are you?” Yugi asked softly.

“I can't,” Yami replied, just as softly. “I don't want to know what will happen if I do.”

“You might find someone better, if you did give up.”

“But I might not. I might lose everything, if I did.” Finally, Yami looked up and met his brother's gaze. A wry smile pulled the older's lips up. “Besides, I've been working on that man for two years. The only way I'll give up on him is if I'm positive I don't stand a chance.”

“And what are your chances right now?”

“Better than they were at the beginning.”

Yugi smiled, and Yami knew his brother would support him no matter what.

“I hope everything works out, Yami. You both deserve to be happy.”

“Save the sappiness for your own love life,” Yami replied, laughing. “Speaking of, when is Mokuba getting here?”

“He called about ten minutes ago to let me know he left the mansion.”

“Then I'd better get lost already, so you two can enjoy the holiday together.” Yami rose from his seat at the desk, and paused a moment to stretch. He let out a soft groan as his shoulder's popped, and rolled his head minutely. “Ugh, I need to go to a hot spring soon. How in the hell can Kaiba keep these kind of hours and still manage to not walk like an old man?”

“Years of practice?” Yugi suggested, causing both of them to laugh. As Yami reached into his closet for his coat, Yugi added, “Where will you go?”

“I'll figure something out. If Joey's busy, which knowing Mai he probably is, I'll just hit the internet cafe for a while, maybe check on Ryou and see how he is.”

“Alright. If you need anything, just call.”

“All I need is for you and Mokuba to take any funny business to your room, so at least my eyes won't be scarred; I need them for work.”

“Yami!”

“That never gets old,” Yami said laughing. He winked at his brother and waved, pocketing his cellphone. He went downstairs, and when Yugi's footsteps only followed him to the bottom he figured the other had gone to the kitchen. A smile on his lips, Yami opened the door only to come face to face with the very reason he was being kicked out. He recognized every item of clothing Mokuba was wearing, and any resentment he might have had about being kicked out of his own home disappeared when he saw the sweater and scarf Yugi had bought the other.

“Hey Mokuba,” Yami greeted, stepping aside to let the other in.

“Way to give a man a heart attack; I didn't even knock!” Mokuba studied him, carefully unwrapping his scarf. “Either you're psychic, or-”

“I was just on my way out,” Yami confirmed. “Yugi's in the kitchen; I hope you're hungry, he probably cooked all of your favorites. And I do mean all.”

Mokuba groaned good naturedly. “Wonderful, I'll have to be rolled out of here. Where are you going?”

“Either Joey's, Ryou's, or the internet cafe, I'm not sure yet. Depends on how the first two answer.” Yami watched with interest as the younger male bit his lip. A gloved hand dug into one pocket of the (undoubtedly expensive) coat Mokuba wore, and emerged holding a key. Mokuba held it out to Yami.

“Why don't you go to the mansion? Seto's there all alone; I gave the staff the day off. All the alarms are turned off, so you would only need the key.”

Yami couldn't deny that his pulse started racing, and that the idea of being alone with Kaiba was extremely alluring. Especially since he had done nothing but think about the man since the last time he had seen him two days ago. But there were still a few problems. “Uh, I don't think he'd appreciate that, Mokuba. You know he likes his privacy.”

“Honestly, I don't give a damn right now. He wasn't himself when I left. You've worked with him a while now, Yami; how often have you known him to stop and stare out the window in the middle of his work?”

“To my knowledge, never.”

“Well he was. When I went to see him before I left, he was just standing at his window staring outside. And I know for a fact he was supposed to be up there working.” Mokuba sighed, and took Yami's hand to place the key on his palm. “I don't want him to be alone right now, Yami. Christmas hasn't been a happy time for him. It hasn't been _bad_ , but...well, usually I've been there. But I'm not, and he was acting weird.”

Mokuba was worried, and he was making Yami worried too. The younger male was right; it _wasn't_ like Kaiba to stop working just to stare at something. Admittedly, Yami wasn't around the other male every single moment of the day, but he was around him enough. And the very fact that Mokuba was worried was enough to make Yami concerned.

“Okay. I'll stop by the mansion and check on him.”

A relieved smile crossed Mokuba's face. “Thanks Yami; it'll make me feel better to know someone else is with him.”

“Me too,” Yami muttered, reaching out to hug his friend. “Now get in there before Yugi starts wondering what happened to you.” Grinning mischievously, he pitched his voice louder and added, “And remember Yugi: take the funny business to your room!”

“YAMI MOTOU!”

“See you later!” Yami winked at a laughing Mokuba, and then ducked out of the door before Yugi could get to him. Thankfully, Mokuba would be enough of a distraction that he wouldn't hunt Yami down. The cold wind hit him hard as Yami walked to his car, parked in front of the house. It was far from the taste of the Kaiba brothers, but it was Yami's pride and joy. He had saved up for years to buy it before he started working at Kaiba Corp. Even when he had gotten the job as a game tester, Yami hadn't had the heart to get a newer car. Not when this one was still in good condition and had served him well. He took a quick glance at the key in his palm, glittering in the light of the streetlamp. Snow drifted from the sky and landed on the silver metal, melting as it touched the heat the key had absorbed from Yami's hand.

“I must be crazy,” he muttered, shoving the key into his pocket. If Kaiba didn't kill Yami on sight for entering his house without _Kaiba's_ permission, then he would just be pissed beyond belief. But what Mokuba said worried Yami, and any of Kaiba's anger would be welcome as long as Yami knew the other male was okay. “Definitely crazy.”

Yami didn't go to the mansion right away. He fully intended on at least seeing Ryou. He placed a call to Joey, but his blonde friend was, as expected, busy with his girlfriend. Of all their friends, Ryou was the only one who was still single, like Yami. A quiet and reserved boy, Ryou had become a history professor at the prestigious Domino University, specializing in ancient Egyptian civilization. When Yami knocked on his door, the white haired male opened it with a soft smile that Yami easily returned.

“I was wondering when you'd get here,” Ryou said as he led Yami into his apartment. “I was beginning to think you wouldn't come this year.”

“You know I'd never do that to you.” At Ryou's look, Yami sheepishly added, “I would at least warn you first.” He couldn't help but admire the way Ryou's jeans fit his frame perfectly, and the way the crimson sweater contrasted with Ryou's pale skin. Ryou caught him staring and smirked; Yami flushed. They hadn't been together since high school, but there was no denying that Ryou was an attractive man. More than once Yami had wished he could have fallen in love with the soft-spoken male, but it hadn't been possible, and they both understood it. And now, Ryou had a love of his own.

“So, have you made any progress with Marik?” Yami asked as he took a seat on the couch.

“A little,” Ryou admitted, choosing to sit on the opposite end. “We had dinner the other night.”

“Why didn't you try setting up a date for tonight?”

“He had business back in Egypt. Another excavation team needed his expertise.”

“Are you sure you want someone like him, Ryou? He'll be gone more often than he's here.”

“I'm willing to chance it,” Ryou replied. A smile Yami had never seen before formed, and immediately he knew his friend had it bad. “He's worth it, Yami.” Brown eyes turned to study him, and Yami fidgeted under their knowing gaze. “How is it going with Kaiba?”

“Frustrating.”

“Is he still oblivious?” Ryou asked, laughing.

“Oblivious, stubborn...his workaholic attitude doesn't help anything. When he's working, you can't get a single word in about anything other than work. Believe me, I tried.”

“Are you sure _he's_ worth it? It's been two years Yami; are you sure you're not wasting your time?”

“You know,” Yami replied, “Yugi asked me the same thing before I left the house.” A sigh escaped him, and he looked to the ceiling. “Kaiba's arrogant, prideful, a workaholic, the biggest sore loser I know, and the most irritating son of a bitch I've ever met. But...he's also fair. He'll listen to opinions, as long as they're thought through and based in fact. God knows he cares about his family; how else would he have finally given in and accepted Yugi and Mokuba's relationship? He's intelligent, cautious, and....he's everything, Ryou.”

“He must be.”

“Huh?”

“Remember when we were dating? I once asked you why you liked me. You gave me an answer, but you never had the look that you have now.” Ryou smiled at Yami, and reached out to take his hand. “I hope everything works out for you, Yami. You deserve to be happy.”

“So do you,” Yami replied, giving Ryou's hand a squeeze. “I hope Marik realizes how lucky he is.”

“And I hope Kaiba wakes up and realizes what he's missing.”

Yami hoped so too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you enjoy this chapter? Leave me a comment if you did! I hope you're all staying warm wherever you are!


	4. Hope is Born Again

Yami had stayed at Ryou's far longer than he meant to. He had only meant to stay an hour or two. But he would have felt like a churl if he had left when his friend revealed his dinner to be far too much for one person. Yami had known, without Ryou saying it, that the other had been expecting him to stop by. So two hours had turned into four, and by this time the sun had left the sky. The snow that had begun before he left his home had begun to pile up outside, renewing the layers before it. It was in the newest layer Yami stood as he looked at the door to the Kaiba mansion. It was more than the dark wood and the thick, old-fashioned knocker that made this door intimidating. In their many years of acquaintance, Yami had never been to the mansion when Kaiba was alone. There were always servants, or Mokuba, and often Yugi was with him.

_Now that I think about it, I haven't been alone with him since that night in the hospital_ , Yami mused. He lifted a hand to adjust the scarf around his neck. He thanked God that Mokuba had had the presence of mind to leave the gate to the manor unlocked. If he hadn't, Yami would have been on his way back home by now. Not that he would have minded; he was half-tempted to turn around, climb back into his car, and drive off. He was fairly certain Ryou would be more than willing to accommodate him for the night. But Yami remembered the look on Mokuba's face. He knew that at least half of Mokuba's suggestion had been his terrible habit of playing matchmaker between Kaiba and himself. But there had been genuine worry in the younger Kaiba's eyes as he had pleaded with Yami. He really was concerned about his brother's welfare, and it was this that kept Yami at the door.

Yami shivered as the wind whipped mercilessly around him, finding all the small openings in his clothing to get at his skin. That settled the matter; if he stayed out here much longer he would freeze to death. Before he could regret his choice, Yami rang the doorbell. He had the key Mokuba had given him, but he wanted to give Kaiba a chance to answer the door himself. Yami highly doubted the other male would appreciate him walking uninvited into his home. Yami waited, shivering in the cold. When he heard no response, he rang the bell one more time. When this received the same lack of response, he gave in. He said a small prayer that he would live through this, extricated the key from the pocket of his coat, and fit it into the hole. One good twist and he heard the telling click. Gently he pulled the key out and replaced it. Steeling himself for the wrath of a very private (and arrogant) CEO, Yami walked into the house and closed the door behind him.

He stood in a foyer, elegant but simply furnished. The walls were crimson in color, and the small table that stood nearby was made of a dark wood Yami couldn't place. He'd have to ask Kaiba, if the man didn't kill him first. There were entryways cut into the walls on either side of him, and a grand staircase rose in front of him. _Well, I'm here,_ he thought, unwinding his scarf. _Now what?_ He hung his scarf and his coat on the coat stand beside him, and quietly slipped out of his shoes. He hesitated, but borrowed the pair of slippers left by the door. No doubt they were Mokuba's; he would apologize for borrowing them later.

Yami walked to the entrance on his left. Through it he saw another room, with the same red walls as the foyer, and a plush beige carpeting that he could only consider indulgent. How many times had it been stained, when Mokuba was little? The drapes over the windows were drawn to reveal the landscape outside.The window itself was large, the sill as high as Yami's waist and the glass rising nearly to the ceiling. Several portraits hung from the walls. The largest portrait, Yami was amused to see, was a breathtaking vision of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. He remembered a time in high school when the most popular game had been a card game called Duel Monsters. Tournaments had been held around the world. Kaiba himself had been a champion at the game, and his card of choice had been the white dragon Yami was looking at. He had always thought Kaiba had had many similarities with his favorite card. From their blue eyes (so startling and fierce, like the blue lightening the dragon was often depicted to use when attacking) to their very natures. Dragons were known to be wise, powerful, and good at hoarding treasure. As arrogant and _stupid_ as Kaiba could be at times (working so late he never slept did not count as wise, to Yami), he was also incredibly insightful when the situation called for it.

The dying embers of a fire glowed in the fireplace built into the far wall. An extremely comfortable looking couch was situated in front, with a table between the fireplace and the piece of furniture. A bottle of wine, a nearly empty glass, and a picture frame were all that graced the table's surface. But it was the figure lying on the sofa that interested Yami as he walked further into the room. A patch of sky blue cloth was the first thing he saw peeking over the back of the couch, followed by brown strands of hair that Yami had often been tempted to touch. When he finally rounded the side of the couch and could fully look at Kaiba, Yami's breath caught in his throat.

Descriptions of people looking comfortable or peaceful when they slept ran through Yami's mind as he observed the other male. Clearly, the ones who used the descriptions had never seen Seto Kaiba sleeping. Judging by the position, Kaiba had been sitting upright at some point; his legs were hanging over the edge of the couch, his feet resting on the floor. One arm was trapped beneath the brunette's weight, and the other was trying to curl around his own waist, flat against his upward side with the forearm falling across his torso. A small frown played at the man's lips; his head was pressing hard into the pillow behind him, bent at an angle because there was not enough room to accommodate his neck lying straight.

“Mokuba was right to worry,” Yami murmured as he kneeled beside the couch, his heart going out to the man who had been left here all alone. A part of him felt anger towards Kaiba's younger brother for leaving the man here. Never mind that Mokuba had done it so that he could ensure Yugi's own happiness on this holiday; it was just plain cruel. No one, not even the Grinch himself, enjoyed being alone on Christmas Eve. Yami's lips tightened into a thin line; he was definitely going to have a nice little chat with Mokuba regarding these events. Yami reached out, holding his breath as he used one hand to carefully hold Kaiba's head up, and used the other to pull the pillow out of the way. With the pillow gone, the brunette was able to lie down a bit more comfortably because of an extra two or so inches.

Yami breathed a sigh of relief when Kaiba stayed sleeping, although his brow furrowed. Just how much did the man drink? He half turned, and eyed the wine glass that stood three quarters empty. When he picked up the wine bottle and saw how much was left inside, his eyes widened. He had seen Kaiba drink before, but he was extremely careful and never had more than two glasses of wine, and those of a small amount. But with how much was missing from the bottle, Yami knew the man had had at least one glass more, and that the glass had been more full than usual. _Mokuba is definitely going to get it when I see him._

He sighed, and placed the wine glass on the table once more. He didn't want to wake the other male; not yet. Not only was Kaiba probably still suffering from the effects of the wine, but he had probably been working nonstop. It was just how he was. Even when he gave his employees the holiday off, he himself wouldn't rest if there was work to be done. Yami both admired that trait, and thought it was incredibly foolish. It was only when he shivered that Yami realized how cool it was in the house. Probably because Kaiba had had a fire going. Without even thinking about it, Yami rose and padded quietly over to the fireplace. In a basket nearby was a collection of logs and a stack of old newspapers,

Yami meticulously took page after page of the newspapers and crumpled them up, setting them among the fading embers, and then placed two of the logs on top of them. He stirred the embers up with the poker, but there wasn't enough for the paper to catch fire. He looked around, and spotted a lighter nearby. He picked it up and used it to light the newspaper below. They caught flame easily, and while flames ate away at them Yami held the lighter to the wood until it too began to burn. He stayed there, helping the flames along until they were large enough to be self-sustaining. Warmth washed over him, and he smiled as he put the lighter back in its place. He turned around, only to find he had an audience.

Kaiba had woken up.

**X X X**

It was the obnoxious ringing, Kaiba decided, that began his climb back to the conscious realm. It hadn't been the full sound, of course; it had been a soft echo, like the memory of a sound rather than the sound itself. But the echo had resounded in Kaiba's mind, bouncing around the walls of his consciousness until he began to put it together. But then it had stopped, and Kaiba had irritably begun his descent back into the dark caverns of sleep, until a gentle touch stopped him as good as a brick wall could have.

Seto Kaiba was not used to touching. Mokuba would hug him, and every now and then he would give Kaiba's shoulder a squeeze, but no one else had ever shown him physical affection since his parents were killed. Gozuboro, his adoptive father, had made it plain he thought such displays were a sign of weakness and would not be tolerated. Gentle touches were therefore foreign to him. Yet the hand that held his head aloft for a few brief moments was so careful, so gentle, that it shook Kaiba to his core. He wanted to see who it was. He wanted to know the person who dared to touch him in such a way. As he climbed towards the waking world once more, he was almost certain it was Mokuba.

But the kneeling figure that met his eyes was most definitely not his brother. He didn't have Mokuba's long hair, and the clothing wasn't fine enough to belong to a Kaiba. He couldn't quite make out the hair color in the dim lighting of the room, but the gelled spikes of hair spoke enough. Kaiba's head throbbed from the wine he had drunk before. It was why he didn't usually drink more than a few glasses; the headaches were unbearable. His thought processes were obviously still affected by the drink, as he actually had to ponder for a moment which Motou twin was in his home uninvited. The answer would have been obvious, were he not exhausted and still vaguely under the influence of alcohol, since Yugi was far too timid to wander into his house alone and should have been at his house celebrating with Mokuba.

When Yami turned around, Kaiba's suspicions were confirmed. They stared at one another, Kaiba's gaze impassive and Yami's startled. He'd probably thought Kaiba was still asleep. But Yami wasn't one to be in shock long, as Kaiba knew, and after a moment the other male smiled.

“So glad you could join the world of the living,” he quipped. “I was wondering how long you were going to be out of it.”

Kaiba tried his best to sit up carefully. But no matter how slow he moved, it still sent a fresh bolt of pain through his already aching head. He cradled it in one hand when he was fully upright, looking through his lashes at Yami. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Good to see you too, Kaiba. Lovely evening, isn't it?”

“Unless you want to be tossed out onto your ass, answer the question.

“Fine, fine,” Yami replied with a sigh. He rose from his kneeling position, and Kaiba thought bitterly that the other male hadn't had a single problem rising. “Mokuba came to the house, and he asked me to stop by, since I was leaving. I told him you probably wouldn't be happy about it, but he insisted.”

“I bet he insisted,” Kaiba muttered. _You're going to regret this Mokuba,_ he thought. When the pain had died a little more, he lifted his head fully. Yami had moved to sit on the love sit that was situated perpendicular with the end of the couch. It felt odd, having the other male here. Kaiba could count on one hand the number of times Yami had entered the mansion over the years. Of that small handful, not one visit had involved just the two of them. There was always a third party, whether it be Mokuba or Yugi, or both. In fact, Kaiba recalled, the two of them hadn't been alone together since Mokuba's accident. It was entirely purposeful, on Kaiba's part; he had felt something shift that night, against his will, and he didn't like it.

“Apparently he had a good reason to be worried,” Yami said, and Kaiba could see him eying the wine bottle on the table. Heat crept up Kaiba's cheeks. He ground his teeth, looking away at the fire.

“I'm fine,” he told Yami. “I just...needed to unwind a bit.”

“The evidence says it was more than just 'a bit,' Kaiba.”

“Did you come here to pester me, or check on me?”

“Neither,” Yami replied. Kaiba was interested to find that Yami's cheeks flushed with color, and noted the slender fingers that began to pull and twist at the cuffs of the turtleneck Yami wore. “I came to keep you company.”

“To keep me company.”

“Yes. Mokuba did ask me to stop by, but I knew the servants were all gone, and Mokuba was at my house, so you were probably here all alone.”

“And what makes you think I didn't want to be alone?”

“Other than the previous evidence?” Yami replied, which almost caused Kaiba's lips to twitch into a smirk. The amusement died, however, when Yami's gaze fell to the floor and he added softly, “Because in all the years I've known you, you've never been truly alone.”

It was Kaiba's turn to turn away, his heart beating at an unnaturally fast pace. Yami had noticed? No one had noticed that, not even Mokuba. But Kaiba couldn't deny the truth of Yami's words. He _didn't_ like being alone. At home, he always had Mokuba or the servants. At work there were his many employees. In school he had had his classmates. Tonight was the first night in a long time that he had been truly alone, and even before Mokuba left he had felt the emptiness of the house closing in on him. He hated being left alone. It reminded him too much of his childhood; of that old fear that Mokuba would be taken from him after their parents died. It also reminded him of Gozuboro, who had often stated that there was no need to be reliant on anyone. A part of Kaiba had feared that if he allowed himself to be alone, he would take one more step towards becoming the man he hated more than anyone else.

Not that he would ever tell Yami this.

“You're an idiot.”

Yami chuckled. “Maybe. But you can't say you aren't happy to see me.”

“I'd be happier if you told me you had some Tylenol on you.”

“Sorry, I'm all out,” and Yami made a big display of searching his clothes to prove his point.

“Wonderful.” Not looking forward to the result, Kaiba stood up. As expected, the throbbing in his head became worse, and his first step was unsteady. Yami was up in an instant, obviously prepared to steady him. “Don't even think about it. I just have a migraine.” Something about Yami's actions pleased him, though he didn't dare dwell on the reason why. “I'll be back in a moment.”

“What, you're not going to kick me out?” Yami asked, smirking.

Kaiba returned the smirk, answering, “Well, you've admitted yourself that you're homeless. Besides, think of it as payment for working overtime.”

“I think I'd prefer money, actually. You know, since I'm 'homeless.'”

“I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.”

The two of them traded smirks as Kaiba felt the same thrill that always came at him when he and Yami had their verbal spars. Already the loneliness he had felt earlier was vanishing thanks to the other's presence. The weight that had blanketed him was lifting, pushed back by the warmth and reassurance Yami always seemed to bring with him. Kaiba turned around and continued his trek to the kitchen. He passed the entryway, and as he did he uttered two words that tasted foreign on his tongue, but that he knew were appropriate to the situation, hoping against hope that Yami wouldn't hear them. Or, maybe, hoping that he would. And when he looked back into the room for just a moment, he saw the smile that played on Yami's lips even as the other male stared into the fireplace and tried to appear preoccupied with the flames dancing inside,

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost at the end! Just as a headsup, I will be uploading next week's chapter on Monday, Christmas Eve (Korean time) as a small gift. I'll post the final chapter (the epilogue) on New Year's Eve. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!
> 
> Remember, if you like it, leave a comment!


	5. All I Want for Christmas is You

This was the reason he never wanted to bring Yami here, Kaiba decided as he walked back into the living room bearing a tray of hot chocolate and cookies. One would expect Yami, so obviously from a different social class, to appear completely out of place in the lavish Kaiba mansion. But he didn't. On the contrary, he looked like he belonged there. And it was more than just the way that Yami lounged on the couch, completely relaxed and at ease, as though he didn't have a care in the world. It was just...Yami. Everything about him that shouldn't have belonged, from his spiked hair and his faded sweater and not-designer-jeans, seemed to fit in perfectly with the surroundings. Kaiba really didn't want to dwell on the reason why. Thankfully, Yami gave him an excuse not to.

Yami looked up, raising a brow when he saw the tray that Kaiba set on the table. He knew what Yami was thinking. "Not a word," he warned, causing Yami to bite his lip; most likely in an effort not to laugh. The mugs were bright and the very spirit of Christmas, in the shapes of Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman.

"They're...cute," Yami said, unable to hide the amusement in his voice as he reached out and grabbed the Santa mug. A small bowl of marshmallows was sitting beside it, and he instantly grabbed some and put them into the drink; Kaiba stopped counting at ten.

"They're Mokuba's," Kaiba replied, rolling his eyes. "He got them during a trip to America. The cook forbade us from ever touching the good dishes in the kitchen after Mokuba got a little too...enthusiastic about helping out." 

"You don't strike me as a hot chocolate person," Yami commented as he watched Kaiba take a sip of the drink. No marshmallows for him; the drink was sweet enough.

"I'm not. But you don't like coffee, and I don't like tea; I thought this was a good compromise."

Because he wasn't looking at Yami, Kaiba missed the surprise that flashed across his face, and the pleased smile that settled on his lips.

"It is," Yami agreed. He took another sip, and a comfortable silence settled between them.

That was another thing. When had their silences become comfortable? Time was they couldn't stand to be in the same room as one another. Just being within a hundred yards was enough to cause their tempers to flare, and harsh words and taunts to be released. Kaiba would blame it on working together for the better part of a few years, and frequent dinners together courtesy of their respective brothers, but he wasn't in the habit of lying to himself. Not anymore. Avoiding the truth by not thinking about it, yes. But he didn't outright lie. He knew the kind of backlash that lying to himself could cause, and he didn't want to experience that again.

He could feel Yami looking at him. He'd felt it for the last few minutes. It was hard not to feel the heavy, probing gaze. When Kaiba looked back at the other male, Yami didn't even look away. He continued staring intently, a soft smile playing at his lips. It lit something warm within Kaiba, and for the first time he felt himself looking away because he wasn't sure he could handle what he saw.

"You really have changed," Yami said softly. "I've been expecting you to tell me to get out since you woke up. I didn't expect hot chocolate."

"Do you _want_ me to throw you out?"

"Not really." The smile in Yami's voice was obvious, and Kaiba tried very hard to not feel pleased.

"Then I suggest you accept things as they are."

The hot beverage scalded Kaiba's tongue as he took a hurried sip, and he gave an involuntary jerk, still swallowing the liquid. The thought of telling Yami to leave had crossed his mind, but after what the other male had seen, Kaiba wasn't so sure Yami would leave even if he insisted.

"Would you even leave if I told you to?" he questioned, unable to stop his curiosity.

"Probably not."

Kaiba gave an undignified snort. "Figures."

"I wouldn't be _able_ to leave," Yami continued, and again Kaiba felt that heavy gaze on him. "Not after seeing you like that."

"I am, and was, fine," he insisted coolly.

"You were well on your way to being totally drunk, Kaiba."

"Don't tell me you never get drunk, Yami."

"That's just it; _I_ might. But you don't, Kaiba. Not once, in all the years I've known you, have I ever seen or heard about you getting drunk. You drink, yes, but you'll only drink a little bit. You're the most boring, responsible person I know, and you wouldn't know how to have a good time if you had a step-by-step guide. For you to drink as much as that-" Yami gestured towards the wine bottle that still sat on the table "-means that something is definitely wrong. And I wouldn't be able to leave you alone again knowing that."

Kaiba hated Yami. He hated that the other man knew him so well. He hated that everything Yami said was true; that he himself couldn't come up with an argument against it. Most of all, though, Kaiba hated the relief he felt at knowing that Yami wouldn't leave. He hated how just knowing that made the darkness that lingered inside him back off even more, hovering outside like a vulture but slowly losing interest in its prey.

His hands tightened on the mug he held, and he refused to look at Yami. He didn’t acknowledge the male, for a moment. Another silence settled between them, this one just a bit more tense than before. No, not tense; expectant.

"I've been drunk once before," Kaiba said after a moment, when he still felt Yami looking at him. But he didn't return the gaze. Kaiba knew that if he looked at the other male right now, he wouldn't be able to continue. He'd shrug it off, and he would never get this out. Yami didn't say a word, and Kaiba was grateful. It wouldn't take much to make him stay quiet. "Exactly seven years ago today. I just...wanted to forget. To escape reality. And it was the only thing I could think of, at the time. Mokuba was studying and working; he didn't know until the next morning when he came home. I think that's the one time he really lost his temper with me."

The brunette took another sip of hot chocolate, the drink slowly cooling off. When he finally chanced a look at Yami, the other male was leaning forward, resting his arms on his knees and staring at the floor.

"Why are you telling me this?" Yami asked quietly after a moment.

"Because you didn't ask," Kaiba replied without hesitation. The reason probably sounded silly. However, Kaiba knew that Yami would never ask about it. Not really. He might hint, and he might hover and keep closer watch, but Yami would let Kaiba keep his secrets until he was ready. It was because of this patience that Kaiba decided to tell Yami. And because Mokuba was right, as usual; it was time to move on, and he wouldn't be able to do that until he told the truth he had been holding back. “And because you deserve to know.” Kaiba looked at that bent figure, the gentle curve of Yami’s back and the way his hair carefully shielded his eyes, as though Yami knew that eye contact would break whatever had come over Kaiba. The CEO could only handle so many emotions at one time before he felt overwhelmed.

“When we were in high school, I dated Anzu Mazaki.” _That_ made Yami look up, wide-eyed. The expression on his face was priceless, and Kaiba’s lips curved into a smirk. “Yes, _that_ Anzu. We didn’t consciously keep it a secret; we just didn’t see any reason to say it outright. Back then, you and the rest of her friends and I never got along, and my father wouldn’t have been happy about it, either. So it just made sense.”

“And getting you to discuss anything personal is like trying to pull teeth,” Yami muttered.

“I’m a product of my environment,” Kaiba replied with a shrug, his smirk turning into a frown. “My step-father, Gozuboro…he thought only ambition mattered. Happiness, love, sadness –they were useless weaknesses that could be turned against you. He forced that philosophy onto me my whole life, until I completely believed it.”

“But…Anzu?”

Kaiba’s thumbs gently rubbed the smooth porcelain of the decorative mug in his hands, feeling the heat slowly slip away. “At first, I hated her as much as I hated the rest of you. She was bossy, loud, unruly and uncouth; the same as the rest of your little gang, in my view. It wasn’t until she joined me on the student council our second year that I started to see other sides to her. Yes, she was loud, but only when she needed to be; and when she was angry. The rest of the time, she was quiet. She observed everything around her, and used what she saw to her advantage. She wasn’t like the delicately reared girls I was introduced to at various company events; but she had a softness and a gentleness none of them possessed. When I was sick, she berated me and took me to the nurse.” Kaiba could remember that moment. He had made it until lunch before he noticed Anzu watching him. And at the first opportunity, she had come up to him and demanded he go to the nurse. When Kaiba had resisted, Anzu had simply dragged him there. Her hold on his wrist had been anything but weak. She had stayed with him until he promised to rest, and she had all but barricaded him out of the student council room later.

“The more I got to know Anzu, the more I admired her. Her passion, her energy, her unstoppable kindness –she was everything my father had warned against, and yet she seemed so much stronger than anyone I had known.” Kaiba put the mug down on the table, at the same moment he heard the squeak of leather. He didn’t have to look up; the dip in the couch gave Yami’s new position away.

“We worked together a lot because of the student council, and it gave us the opportunity to get to know one another. I can’t speak for her, but I know that the moments when it was just the two of us were the deciding factor. We didn’t go out until our third year; but to me, it was inevitable. I was more drawn to her than I had ever been to anyone. So we started dating. And we kept on, even after graduation. I went to Domino University, and she kept working part-time while taking dance lessons. My step-father died my first year in college. I never realized how big a presence he was in this house until he was gone. He had led my life for so long, I was lost. Suddenly I had to go to school, and take care of the company, the house, and Mokuba all at the same time. Even for me, it was overwhelming. But Anzu saved me again. She came in one day to help clean up all of Gozuboro’s things, to take care of Mokuba; and she just never left. None of us questioned it. Mokuba found an older sister in her, and she helped take some of the responsibility off me. When I came home, she was always here to welcome me with a smile.”

Kaiba sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. “But…I started taking her for granted. I put less time and effort into our relationship, and more into my own affairs. I graduated college early, and I started running Kaiba Corporation full time. I think you know my work hours well enough to guess how often I was home. And when I did come home, I’d eat and work. I didn’t even notice something was wrong until there was nothing I could have done.”

A warm, rough hand grasped one of his own, and Kaiba willingly accepted it. Suddenly the fire roaring in the fireplace wasn’t enough; he was cold again. “There’s something I want to show you.” Carefully, remembering his last attempt, Kaiba rose from the couch. He didn’t let go of Yami’s hand. Kaiba just gave a gentle tug and waited until Yami also stood up. Then he led the way out of the living room, into the foyer, and up the grand staircase. Their footsteps echoed off first the marble tiles of the floor, and then off the wooden steps, creating a sense of emptiness. And the mansion _was_ empty. Even with all the furnishings and decorations, it was difficult to believe that anyone lived in the house. It was enveloped in a silence that swallowed everything. At the top of the stairs, Kaiba turned left and led the way to his study.

“This used to be a playroom for Mokuba and me,” Kaiba said as he held open the door, “when my step-father first adopted us. Now it’s just a study where I can work.” Bookcases lined one entire wall, filled to bursting. A large oak desk stood in the middle of the room, an obviously expensive and up-to-date computer taking up the least amount of space compared to the piles of paperwork that were stacked on it. A few filing cabinets and a small sofa were against another wall, while a large window took up a third. What small wall-space was left on this third wall was covered by several potted plants.

“This is definitely _your_ study,” Yami said, and all Kaiba could do was shrug.

“It’s meant for work, not relaxation. I have my bedroom for that.” Kaiba knew exactly what went through Yami’s mind when the other man looked at him _that way_ , but for the moment Kaiba chose to ignore it. He had brought Yami here for a reason. He moved over to the window, and knelt beside the potted plants. Using his free hand, Kaiba moved several of the plants aside to reveal the actual wall behind them. A brief tug, and Yami was kneeling beside him to peer at the wall as well. Instead of a bare wall, the section Kaiba revealed was covered in what were obviously a child’s drawings. Only they looked like…

“Cards,” Yami murmured, gently reaching out to trace one. Yes, they did look like cards. Cards that were familiar to both of them. Yami recognized the Dark Magician near the bottom, and a Time Wizard as well. The cards had been lined up and pasted on the wall in a shape; it took Yami a moment to realize it was a tree. One card formed the trunk, and others had been lined above it, with each additional row of cards growing shorter and shorter until the final row held only one card. This top-most card was easily the most familiar of the bunch: the Blue Eyes White Dragon, Kaiba’s favorite card.

“They’re based off of Duel Monster cards?” Yami asked, looking at Kaiba, who nodded.

“Mokuba drew those years ago, back when this was still a playroom. My step-father didn’t approve of Christmas. He thought it was a ‘useless, wasteful holiday’ –a direct quote, by the way. I can’t tell you how many times I had to hear that speech. Needless to say, he never decorated the mansion, and Mokuba and I never received any presents. My Christmases were usually spent proving to my step-father just how much I had learned in the previous months. One year, Mokuba woke me up and dragged me in here. He said he had something to show me. He moved a box of toys away from the wall, and this was here. Mokuba knew how much I loved Duel Monsters, and he knew I’d been having a really rough time that year. So he told me that for Christmas he got me a tree.”

Now it was Kaiba’s turn to reach out and trace a card, his finger barely skimming the surface. “We worked hard to keep this hidden. The staff helped; when my step-father would come in, one of them would always be present in case they had to distract him. When Mokuba and I weren’t here, they made sure there was always something in front of it. For a long time, this was the only decoration in the house.” The hand that gripped Yami’s tightened, and Kaiba let the one that touched the card fall back to his side. “Anzu changed that.”

**X X X**

_t was easy to miss the garland that glittered along the banisters of the staircase. It was a subtle detail that Kaiba, exhausted from working overtime most of the week, had no energy to take in and appreciate. It was much harder to miss the bright green and red elf hat (complete with giant bell) perched jauntily on Mokuba’s head as his younger brother all but tackled him in the foyer._

_"Isn’t it great Seto? Just look at it!”_

_As he tried to fully take in the knowledge that his brother (his_ 17-year-old _brother) was dressed as the American version of a Christmas elf, Kaiba obeyed and took a closer inspection of the room. Garland, lights, and candles were placed strategically around the room, giving it a soft glow. The chandelier that usually lit the foyer was off, which explained why Kaiba hadn’t been immediately blinded when he walked inside. To the left, he got a small glimpse of the living room. The fire was obviously blazing, and he could see more decorations (figurines, pillows, more garland and lights), but besides them…_

_Slowly he took his shoes off, and placed his briefcase on the ground. Without even bothering to remove his jacket, Kaiba entered the living room to get a good look. His eyes hadn’t deceived him. Standing in a corner near the fireplace, rising tall in all its splendor, was a Christmas tree. It was obviously false (the only real kind to be found in Domino City), but it was no less beautiful than those he had seen in the American movies Mokuba liked to watch. Filled with the soft glow of the strings of lights, the garland of choice for this tree had been popcorn. It held few ornaments, but ribbons and bows were tied to the branches, and on top someone (most likely Mokuba) had placed a Blue Eyes White Dragon toy in place of a star._

_"_ _For once your workaholic ways were a blessing; it took us all day to do this.”_

_Kaiba turned around to look at Anzu as she walked up to him. Like Mokuba, her clothing was in the Christmas spirit: a deep red dress with faux fur around the hem and cuffs, and a shiny black belt that helped to accentuate her waist. Tiny bell-shaped earrings dangled from her ears, and black gloves covered her hands. A Santa hat was placed precariously on her head, leaning so far to the side he was amazed it didn’t fall off._

_"Do you like it?”_

_Did he? The house had never seen anything like this before. Not once in Kaiba’s memory had any decorations been placed throughout the house. The only thing resembling a tree he and Mokuba had ever had were the cards Mokuba had placed on the wall when they were kids. If Gozuboro were alive to see this, he’d be furious. But Seto Kaiba?_

_“Yeah,” he replied, reaching out to pull Anzu close. “I do.” The decorations had taken the emptiness and the harsh edges of the house away, filling it with a warmth and gentleness that had been missing. Kaiba heard a click and looked over at his brother, who grinned broadly at him over a camera._

_"_ _I’m going to go get the drinks,” Mokuba said through his laughter, and he placed the camera on a nearby table. “I’ll be back in a minute. Behave you two!”_

_Anzu moved away from the circle of Kaiba’s arms, and helped him to remove the heavy coat he wore. Just being here with her and Mokuba helped to ease the migraine he had been dealing with all day. A part of him, his tired mind acknowledged, felt guilty that he hadn’t been here to help them. He doubted this was the only room they had decorated, and they had to have gone shopping for the decorations in the first place. But he had to work. He was so close to finishing the plans for his latest product, and he had managed to do so with the work he put in tonight._

I’ll make it up to her, _Kaiba thought, accepting the glass of champagne Mokuba handed him._ I swear I will.

" _How did you manage with just the two of you?” Kaiba asked after he took a sip of the beverage. He was seated on the couch with Anzu beside him, and Mokuba resting in the chair nearby._

_“It wasn’t just us,” Anzu replied with a smirk. “You underestimate how much your staff cares about you. When I told them I wanted to surprise you, they all wanted to help. Marguerite even made the dinner before she left. It’s ready for us to eat whenever you are.”_

_The staff? Kaiba’s fingers tightened their hold minutely on the glass they held as his heart clenched. The mansion’s staff had not changed since the day his stepfather had passed away. Kaiba had offered to help them find new jobs, but not a single person had wanted to leave. It was their home, they had told him. As long as the mansion still had someone living within its walls, the staff would be there to take care of everything._

_“They deserve a raise,” he said quietly._

_“They just wanted to show you how much they appreciate you.” Anzu took the glass from his hand, placed it on the table, and then laced their fingers together. “You offer them lodging, you pay them more than they have ever been paid for their work –and Kazuyuki told me he considers you two to be his own children. He watched you grow up, and raised you. All of them were happy to help.”_

_"We’re lucky to have them,” Mokuba said with a warm smile. “We’ll just have to do something for them, one day.”_

_Kaiba could only nod. He was a little overwhelmed by what he had seen and heard; it simply wasn’t part of his ordinary world. Anzu appeared to understand. She rose from the couch, and took both her and Kaiba’s champagne. “Come on, Mr. Kaiba. Dinner’s waiting. Marguerite made a feast for us, and I can’t wait any longer.”_

_“Yeah, let’s eat!” Mokuba jumped up and ran, laughing, into the dining room. The elder Kaiba had to smile as he watched his brother run off. It was good to see that, no matter how much responsibility the younger male took on, he still managed to keep his sense of fun. The dinner was as delicious as promised. There was a lot of food; more than the three of them could manage, that was certain. The three of them ate until they were full, Anzu and Mokuba chatting excitedly with Kaiba, exhausted as he was, only making a few comments here and there. When it came time to clean up, they worked together. Kaiba put the food in the storage containers, to be kept for later; Mokuba washed the dishes, suffering under the indignity of being the younger sibling; and Anzu dried the dishes and put them away. Only when everything had been cleared away did the three of them retire back to the living room._

_There was a small pile of presents under the tree. As Anzu passed them out, Kaiba noted with some amusement that someone must have gone through his room to find the packages he had kept carefully hidden. He had a feeling he knew who had done it, and the quirk to Anzu’s lips as she handed him a brightly wrapped package only confirmed it. Soon all of them had a small assortment of packages in their lap._

_“I’ll go first!” Mokuba called, laughing._

_“Brat.”_

_“Sorry Big Bro, but you made me wash dishes. I get to open my presents first.”_

_"_ _Then open them,” Anzu told him, amusement coloring her voice with warmth. “Or else we’ll be here all night!”_

_Mokuba was never one for careful unwrapping. He ripped the paper off the first package, creating a small flurry of red and gold to fall around him. He crowed in delight when he realized the box contained a laptop, and hugged it close._

_“Thank you, Seto!” Kaiba smiled. Mokuba had been complaining (loudly and pointedly) for the past few months that he needed a new computer, because his was old and needed to be switched out. He refused to buy one on his own because he trusted Kaiba’s expertise more. Kaiba himself had simply been waiting for the right model._

_The next gift the youngest Kaiba opened was from Anzu. She had gotten him a small kit that contained (among other things) shampoo and hair accessories. A silk tie in a beautiful sky blue color helped to soften the blow of the Hello Kitty bows, one of which found its way into Mokuba’s hair anyway. Anzu went next, and opened a box that contained a DVD collection of her favorite ballet performances. Kaiba knew Mokuba had searched everywhere for them, until he had found the right ones. Anzu hugged Mokuba so tightly he almost resembled those dolls whose eyes popped out when they were squeezed. Kaiba’s gift to Anzu was a new pair of ballet slippers. He knew she had been meaning to buy a new pair, as her old ones had finally worn down. And he had been with her a few times before when she shopped for new pairs, so he knew her size and specifications. Her smile was small, but still overwhelming when she reached out to take his hand in hers. Kaiba had never once made fun of her dream, nor had he suggested she try something else. He supported her fully, and this was one of the ways he showed it._

_And then it was Kaiba’s turn. Mokuba’s present to him was an extensive book on ancient Egypt, an area Kaiba was researching for a prospective game. He had not had time lately to look through the bookstores, and he needed to begin working on the overall idea soon. It must have killed his brother to buy him a present that would only encourage his busy ways. Kaiba lightly tugged a lock of Mokuba’s hair, and smirked. “Thanks, brat.”_

_Anzu’s present was more practical. She had gotten him a new, perfectly tailored trench-coat in the deep blue color that Kaiba preferred. When he examined it, Kaiba found it to be made of warmer material than his other coats. His own body heat would be at work to keep him warm when he wore it. Anzu knew how easily Kaiba would grow chilled even in summer; in winter, she always teased him about the amount of layers he piled on before stepping outside._

_“Now you’ll only need five layers of clothing when you go outside,” Anzu said, the light from the fireplace dancing in her eyes and turning her amusement visible._

_“I do not wear five layers of clothing.”_

_“You’re right; you normally wear eight.” Her laugh was infectious, and soon all three of them had smiles on their faces. They sat there talking, eating the snacks Marguerite had made and nursing their glasses of champagne until the late hours. Finally, though, Mokuba yawned loudly._

_“Okay, I’m going to leave you two alone so I can sleep. Make sure he doesn’t stay up too late, Anzu.”_  
  
_“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he gets to bed.”_

_Kaiba raised a brow at them. “Do I look like a five-year-old to you?”_

_“Well, you don’t_ look _like one, but –” Kaiba playfully swiped at his brother, who dodged it and laughed. “’Night guys. Merry Christmas!”_

_“Merry Christmas Mokuba.”_

_“Sleep well.”_

_The two of them waved Mokuba off, and continued to relax on the couch after he was gone. Kaiba wrapped an arm around Anzu’s shoulders, gently pulling her against him. Her warmth mingled with that of the fire, wrapping Kaiba in a snug cocoon._

_“Thank you for this,” he said at last. “Mokuba’s always wanted to have a real Christmas celebration, even though he’d never say it out loud.”_

_"Because he doesn’t want to hurt you,” Anzu replied, her voice soft. “He loves you so much he’d rather put his own happiness aside to make sure_ you’re _happy.”_

_A lump grew in Kaiba’s throat at the truth in Anzu’s words. He knew well how many times his brother had given up something for him. No matter how often Kaiba hinted for him to do otherwise, Mokuba was studying hard so that he could go to university and earn a degree in business. He claimed it was because he was interested in it after seeing Kaiba work for so long, but the elder knew it was a lie. Mokuba hated business. He was at his happiest when he was designing. It could be a game, a layout for a magazine, and advertisement; it didn’t matter. Mokuba enjoyed creation more than he enjoyed calculations and analysis. But he was stubbornly insisting that he wanted to help run Kaiba Corp, no matter what Kaiba said to discourage him. It made Kaiba feel guilty, even as he was touched by Mokuba’s dedication. However, Kaiba could not make his brother’s decisions for him. All he could do was make sure Mokuba knew he had his brother’s support in whatever decision he made._

_Anzu rose from the couch to go add another log to the fire. Her back was to him, and when he came back to the moment, Kaiba used the opportunity to admire her silhouette. The shadows created by the flames made her curves even softer than he knew them to be._

_“I have one more present for you, Seto, before Christmas is over.”_

_His hand jerked a bit, and his lips turned down into a small frown. “You’ve already given me enough, Anzu. This entire night has been one gift after another.”_

_“But this gift is special. It’s one I know you’re going to need, in the future. It’s important.” Finally, she turned around; but Kaiba couldn’t see her expression with the fireplace at her back. She moved to stand before him, and held out a small box. A ring box. His heart skipped for a moment, and he tried desperately to see anything in her expression. But the room was too dim, and the light was in the wrong place. All he could do was reach out and take the box from her outstretched hand. Carefully, gently, he opened the lid, but no amount of care could prepare him for what he saw. It was a ring, silver and delicate; it was made for a much more slender finger than his own. There were no jewels or designs on the band; its only adornment were the small scratches that came with daily wear. He knew this ring well. He had bought it two years ago for Anzu, as a promise. That one day he would replace it with another ring. Kaiba couldn’t bring himself to look up._

_"I don’t understand.”_

_“This is my last Christmas gift to you, Seto; the one you need the most.” Anzu reached out and closed the lid on the box, placing his free hand on top to cover it. “I’m giving you your freedom.” Finally he looked up, and she was now close enough that he could see her eyes. The deep sadness and loneliness he saw there tore at him, and his grip on the ring box tightened. “I want to end this. I want to break up.”_

_Blue eyes looked back down at the small, almost insignificant box as he tried to wrestle his emotions into place. His grip on it tightened. “Why?” He heard Anzu sigh, and felt the couch dip as she sat down once more._

_“Because I’m tired. I’m tired, and I’m afraid. You’re swallowing me whole. I thought I could be happy with you. And for a while, I was.”_

_Was. Past tense. Another crack appeared in Kaiba’s armor._

_“But then your stepfather died. I didn’t mind stepping in to help with Mokuba; he’s like my own little brother, and he was in pain. And I knew you had to pick up the pieces, and that you would probably go mad trying to do two very different things at once. So I stepped in, because I thought you would eventually figure things out. I thought you’d be able to multi-task after a while. But you never did, Seto. Even after the legal disputes in your company settled out you continued to focus only on your work. Mokuba and I were just an afterthought. You’d work all day, come home at late hours, and you just expected me to take care of him. You didn’t even_ ask _if it was what I wanted to do.”_

_No, he hadn’t._

_“I trusted you to make your own decisions,” Kaiba replied, his words tense and short with the pain and anger that sparked inside him. “I thought you would tell me. You’ve never hidden how you felt before; you always let me or anyone else know when you thought something wasn’t right.”_

_“And I expected you to be mature enough to realize that what you were doing wasn’t right! I expected you to remember that I had a life and dreams of my own, outside of this mansion.” Anzu turned away from him as tension gripped her body. It was a strange sight, to see the normally proud and confident Anzu become so…small. It made some of Kaiba’s anger disappear, which only left room for more of the guilt and pain._

_“I want to dance, Seto,” Anzu told him softly. “I told you all those years ago –I want to go to New York, and train at Julliard, and become a real ballerina. I put that dream aside for a little while, when you needed me –but I didn’t give it up. Every day, for the past two years, I’ve been working myself to the bone. I’d work at the restaurant during the day; I’d be home for Mokuba at night; and then, when you came home late, and both of you were sleeping…I’d practice. For hours, no matter how exhausted I was, I would push myself and practice over and over again.”_

_Clarity came with all the sharp bite of the winter storm outside. How many times had Anzu been sick in the past few years, even though prior she had all the health of an immortal? How many times had she off-handedly mentioned exhaustion? Kaiba could vividly remember one night when Anzu had been making dinner. He had been working in his study, and then the fire alarms had gone off. When he made it to the kitchen, he saw Anzu trying to put out a fire on the stove. He asked what happened when everything was settled, and she had told him (through tears) that she had fallen asleep without realizing it._

_"Anzu…”_

_“I know it’s unfair to only blame you,” she whispered. “And I know you cared about me. But…did you really love me? Or just this idea of me you created?” When Anzu turned to face him, Kaiba felt the faintest fluttering of panic inside him at her expression. He’d seen it so many times before. It was determined and resolved. When she wore that expression, nothing could dissuade Anzu from her chosen path. “I’m leaving, Seto. I can’t do this anymore; I need my life back.”_

_“Anzu…please.” Kaiba hated how his voice broke, hated the desperation he could feel inside him. But he didn’t want her to leave. He couldn’t imagine his life without her, not when she had been in it for so long. “Let’s start over. Let’s try again.”_

_She laughed, and it wasn’t the pleasant sound it had always been. It was harsh, and soft, and filled with anger. “’Start over’…Everything’s a game to you, isn’t it? If something doesn’t go right, then you can just start over from the beginning as though nothing happened.” The tension that had suddenly filled her body seemed to fade, as Anzu’s posture sagged. She cradled her head in her hands. “I’m tired Seto. I’m so, so tired.”_

_All Kaiba could do was watch her. Her words had cut him deep, the truth making them as sharp as Marguerite’s kitchen knives. No one had ever seen Anzu like this. She was always so bright and lively, so full of energy and optimism. Even at her darkest moments Anzu was filled with a fire that burned as brightly as the one currently in Kaiba’s fireplace. Now her fire was gone._

When did this happen? _He thought._ Why didn’t I notice? _His hand tightened on the ring box. He had caused this to happen. Now he had to fix it._

_“I’m sorry.” Kaiba knelt in front of Anzu, reaching out and taking one of her hands as she looked at him. He squeezed it lightly, trying hard to meet her gaze and not look away. “I never wanted to hurt you.”_

_“I know.”_

_One more squeeze of her hand, and then Kaiba released it. He felt her warmth slipping through his fingers, and he rose to his feet. “I’ll sleep in one of the guest rooms tonight. Please…get some rest.” He turned to walk away, and suddenly there was a warmth at his back, and arms wrapped tightly around his waist._

_“Thank you,” she whispered, and he could hear the tears in her voice._

_“I did love you; I hope you know that.”_

_“I know…and I loved you.”_

_Kaiba nodded, and when she let go he let her leave first. It was her right, after what he had done to her._

**X X X**

“Anzu started moving out the next day. She had already found a place to stay, so she would be prepared. I told Mokuba while she was out; he didn’t like it, at first, but he kept his opinions to himself…most of the time.”

Sometime during the story, Kaiba and Yami had moved so that they sat against the wall, their backs pressed against Mokuba’s makeshift Christmas tree. Not once in the telling had Yami released Kaiba’s hand. Every now and then Kaiba had felt the other’s hold tighten, and he had heard several sharp intakes of breath, but Yami hadn’t interrupted him once. He had let Kaiba tell the story from beginning to end, and Kaiba was grateful. He didn’t think he would have been able to tell Yami all of it if he had been interrupted.

Yami finally spoke. “Why are you telling me this, Kaiba? Why now?”

It was the same question he had asked before, when they were downstairs. But it was more urgent, and heavy with meaning. When Kaiba and Yami locked gazes, Kaiba could feel heat course through him at the expression on Yami’s face. It was similar to the one he wore when the two of them would compete against each other, and when Yami would challenge him. Exactly like he was doing now. He was challenging Kaiba to stop running, and to tell the truth. And beneath that challenge was a will as strong and pure as diamond. It was that strong will that had them constantly butting heads…and that drew them together.

“This is why.”

His free hand reached out and cupped the back of Yami’s neck, pulling him in until the small distance between them was gone. Their lips met for just the briefest of moments, but it was enough to fuel the fire building inside Kaiba’s body.

“I’m tired of running,” he breathed, refusing to move too far away. The result was that every word made his lips ghost over Yami’s, and he could feel the shudder than ran through the other man. “I’m tired of staying in the past.”

“And?” Yami breathed, gripping onto Kaiba’s hip with his own free hand.

“And I’m in love with you, idiot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of all the chapters in this story, this one took me the longest to write, because at the time I was going through graduate school and moving to a new country for a new job. But I'm also the most proud of this chapter because I kept going and didn't give up! The next chapter will be the epilogue, and will finish this story. 
> 
> Merry Christmas everyone! :)
> 
> If you enjoyed, please leave kudos and a comment!


	6. All I Want is You This Christmas

The call had been unexpected. After all, Yami hadn't spoken to Anzu properly in years. Shizuka and Honda (both living in America now) had kept everyone up to date on the dancer's life, but everyone had known when she announced she was really leaving Japan that Anzu's focus would be on her dream. The group wished her well, saw her off, and all of them got caught up in their own lives.

Until now.

" _I'm in Japan for a short break. Can we meet up, just you and me?"_

That's what she'd said on the phone. Yami had accepted primarily because he had questions of his own to ask. It's why he was sitting in a café on Christmas Eve, instead of preparing for his night with Seto.

Even just the thought of his lover's name was enough to warm Yami more than the tea he was nursing while he waited. One year later, and he still couldn't believe it was real. After the spontaneous confession last Christmas, Yami and Kaiba had carefully eased into their relationship. There were many long talks between them, some of which were years in coming. At work they remained professionally distant; even though it was entirely possible that Yami stared more than he had before. Sometimes, after work, they would go on a date. Other times Yami indulged Kaiba's workaholic nature and they spent an evening in comfortable silence at the manor working on individual projects.

Their relationship was far from perfect. Sometimes Kaiba would try to retreat into his cold façade, and sometimes Yami pushed him too far. But these moments were few and far between, and the two of them had gotten better at navigating through them. The two were slowly learning more about the deepest parts of the one another, and he enjoyed every new discovery.

Yami took a sip of his tea, and just as the cup touched his lips the bell over the door chimed. He got his first good look at Anzu in almost 5 years, and he had to admit that the time away had done her good. Although her clothes were simple jeans and a padded jacket, she walked with all the confidence of a runway model. Her shoulders were straight, and her head held high in a way he didn't remember from their last meeting. She had the same look of aged wisdom in her eyes Yami suspected all of them had, but it did nothing to dampen the light of her smile as she caught sight of him.

Yami rose from his seat, and he was enveloped in a hug that he readily returned.

"It's so good to see you again," Anzu said as she took the seat opposite him. "I missed you; all of you."

"It hasn't been the same without you. We almost had to put Jonouchi in a padded room until Mai stepped in to keep him in line."

Anzu laughed, and as her eyes danced Yami was grateful that time had been beneficial to his friend. He remembered how worn and tired she had looked before she left. Although he knew Kaiba's pain and didn't like _how_ Anzu had left, he couldn't blame her _for_ leaving. When he compared that last memory of Anzu with the woman sitting in front of him, he knew her decision had been for the best.

"How's Julliard?" he asked. "Honda said you hardly ever left." She made a face that was at odds with the smile in her eyes.

"I have a lot of work to do," she admitted. "I got in, but…there are so many dancers there that are better than me. And younger." She sighed, and a sad smile crossed her lips. "One of my instructors told me last year that my chances of becoming a professional dancer are next to zero. I just didn't train enough when I was younger, and most companies want young dancers for their leads. But-" and here her smile became brighter, "she did tell me that I could become good enough to be a dance instructor. She even offered to help me find work after graduation."

"I'm sorry," Yami said. All of their friends knew how much this dream had meant to Anzu.

"Don't be. I made my own choices that put me here. I have no one to blame but myself." Silence fell between them, thick but not uncomfortable, as each became lost in their own thoughts. Anzu was the first to shake herself out of it, and her grin turned mischievous as she propped her chin on one hand. It was a grin Yami had been scared to see directed at him in the past; it still scared him now, a little.

"So-o…a little birdy tells me you're dating Seto Kaiba." Yami jerked a bit. "I found out three months ago."

"Who…?"

"Who didn't?" she said with a laugh. "God Yami, I think you nearly killed Jounouchi when you told him. I had to remind him that Kaiba isn't a mad scientist who brainwashes people. Although his dream theory is possible; after all, _he's_ dating Mai."

Privately, Yami determined he would get his revenge on Jounouchi the next time he saw him. "We're dating," he confirmed, setting his now-empty cup down. "For about one year now."

"Do you love him?"

"For the past three years, give or take a few days."

"And are you happy?" Yami met the intensity of her gaze, and he could only smile as he said "I've never been happier."

Anzu studied him, searching; perhaps for the same things she had once found in herself. But finally she relaxed and nodded. "Good. I'm glad he has someone like you."

Yami almost hesitated, but he hadn't once been called the King of Games for nothing.

"Do you regret it?"

It was Anzu's turn to flinch. "I regret _how_ I did it, yes. But…no. I don't regret breaking up with him."

"Why did you choose that way, Anzu? Why were you so cruel? It's not like you."

She was silent for a moment, and Yami knew she was deep in thought. She would never answer such an important question lightly. So he waited, allowing her to think even as his mind brought forth the memory of last Christmas.

"I was desperate," she said at last. "Desperate…angry…scared. I'd lost track of who I was, Yami, of what I wanted. Seto had completely taken over my life without really doing a damn thing. And I was young; I didn't know how to care for him and help him without giving too much of myself." Anzu ran a hand through her hair.

"So you wanted to…what, punish him?"

"Maybe? I don't really know. It's just that…when I realized how much of me I had spent, how much of me was gone…I panicked. I would look in the mirror, and I didn't see _me_ anymore. I just felt so angry at Kaiba, for letting it get that way. But…I still loved him." She finally looked at Yami again. "He told you everything?"

Yami nodded.

"At the time…I wasn't sure I was going to do it. Oh sure, I planned to surprise him with the decorations; that plan had been in place for months. But breaking up with him…I thought I'd wait. I didn't realize I'd changed my decision until I saw him that night. He looked so beaten and worn out, and as much as I wanted to help him, I realized that things would continue like this until something changed. I couldn't help him, _and_ take care of things around the manor _and_ practice. Then I saw Mokuba, and it hit me that he didn't really need me anymore. He was old enough to take care of himself. So when they were busy, I went upstairs and got the promise ring Kaiba had given me. You know the rest."

"Do you know what it did to him?" Yami asked softly. His heart hurt, both for his friend and the man he loved. Neither of them was blameless, but he wanted Anzu to know the extent of the damage she had caused. He knew her well enough to know that some part of her still cared about Kaiba; that one day, she would want to approach him as a friend. When that day came, she needed to be prepared with the full weight of their actions. "Last year, at Christmas, I went to his house because Mokuba was worried and didn't want him to be alone. I found him passed out on the couch, drunk, with a bottle of wine almost empty in front of him. You should know Kaiba as well as I do; he doesn't drink." He watched Anzu carefully. She was looking out the window, but he could still see the tension in her body.

"You had every right to be angry, Anzu. Kaiba does hold half of the blame for what happened. He put too much responsibility on you; responsibility you shouldn't have had to bear. But-"

"I know," Anzu cut in, her voice as tense as her clenched hands. "I should have told him. Believe me, I know. And I've regretted it for years. Especially once I realized that all that time I wasted forced me to _really_ give up on my dream."

Without hesitation, Yami reached out and placed his hand over one of hers. "You're an amazing friend, Anzu," he told her. "Neither of you are perfect; but both of you tried your best. And I know that one day you'll be able to forgive each other. Don't worry; I've already had a similar discussion with Seto. He knows he was wrong, as well."

" _You're_ the amazing one, Yami," Anzu whispered, turning her hand over so she could more fully grasp his. "For all my talk of friendship in high school…I wound up forgetting the most important aspects of it."

"Why didn't you ever tell any of us? You kept it secret even after high school. You could have had so much support, so…why?"

"Right, of course. Because Jounouchi would have been _thrilled_ to hear that I was dating the man he hated. He and Honda would never have left me alone. Besides, we all went our separate ways after school. We didn't really talk that much. You and Yugi were busy with college and helping your grandfather; Honda chased Shizuka all the way to America; Joey was interning under that mechanic so that he could get a real job one day, and…well, we all know my story. It just didn't seem worth it to bring it up by that point." She gave a dry, brittle laugh. "Maybe I should have recognized then, that it wouldn't last. Don't people usually let their friends know when they're happy?"

"We did know," Yami said. "We just didn't know the reason." He let go of her hand, and stood up. It took no effort at all to move behind her and wrap his arms around her shoulders, or to give a gentle squeeze when her hand rested on his arm.

"You asked me if I was happy. Now it's my turn. Are _you_ happy?"

Her hand tightened, and she leaned back into his hold. He felt the tension flow from her body, even if he couldn't see it.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I am now."

**X X X**

"How'd it go?"

Yami moved his gaze from the shoes he was busy removing and focused on his brother. Yugi seemed mildly worried as he dried his hands with a pink dishtowel. He could hear a voice talking in the other room; probably Mokuba on his phone. The Motou brothers had both decided it was better that neither Mokuba nor Seto knew that Anzu was back, or that she had contacted them. Yami suspected Mokuba understood why she had done what she did, for the most part. But Kaiba had only had one year with someone else trying to tell him he wasn't the only one to blame; everything was still too raw for him.

"She's still alive, if that's what you mean." Yami laughed and ducked the towel that Yugi threw at his head.

"Very funny. You know what I mean."

"It was fine. A little tense, a little awkward, but…we're good." Yami walked over to his brother and ruffled his hair. "Don't worry; no matter what, she's still my friend too."

"I was actually worried about what _she_ would do to _you_." They shared a smile just as Mokuba walked around the corner.

"Hey Yami; back so soon?" Mokuba's arm wound itself around Yugi's waist, and Yami smirked.

"Not for long; just to grab a few more things, and then I'll let you two have your night back." As he had expected, Yugi's face lit up as red as the ornaments on their tree while his boyfriend gave a sheepish grin.

"You know we wouldn't kick you out," Yugi said. "It's still your house, too. You can stay as long as you want."

"Thanks, but I need to get back anyway. I have some things to finish up before Seto gets back."

Mokuba sighed. "Did you really have to let my brother work overtime on Christmas _again_?"

"Don't worry; we made a deal. I told him this was the last time it was happening, and I made the consequences _very_ clear. I know he loves his job, but I love _him_ and I'm not going to let him work himself to death." He knew he'd said the right thing when the worry on Mokuba's face disappeared.

"I knew I could trust you with him."

Yami gave a mock bow. "Now if you'll excuse me, I wasn't lying; I do need to get a few things."

"And _we_ have to finish making dinner."

"Aww, Yu~ugi!"

"No whining. We don't have a chef, we're not getting one, I won't be able to cook all the time, and you manage to catch ramen on fire. You're learning how to cook."

The gentle teasing became softer as Yami walked upstairs. It had only been one month since the couples decided to change their living arrangements, and they were still getting settled. It was common knowledge among them that Mokuba hated living in the mansion. Most of his memories of the building were bad, and it was obvious he felt at home in the Motou house. He spent most of his free time there, working or spending time with Yugi. He only returned to the mansion when he had to. Yami, in turn, spent much of his time with Kaiba at the mansion. He didn't mind the vast, empty house as long as Kaiba was there, and he had none of the memories that the brothers had. Plus, he had the satisfaction of seeing Kaiba's stress disappear when they spent time together. The decision to move was inevitable. Slowly Yami's clothes began to be added to Kaiba's closet, his own dishes were moved into the kitchen, and his many accessories began appearing randomly throughout the house.

Kaiba had been the one to bring it up. They had been curled up on the couch together, with Kaiba's head resting in Yami's lap. The CEO had held up his hand, and one of Yami's favorite leather bracelets had been resting there.

"Where did you find it?" he'd asked, taking it. Kaiba had refused to let his hand leave, though, and had linked their fingers around the trinket.

"In one of my shoes," Kaiba had replied. "I'm pretty sure you've got another one hiding somewhere."

A wicked gleam had entered Yami's eyes, and he'd placed a lingering kiss to Kaiba's hand, watching the blue eyes darken to a deep sapphire. "Well it's not like we're particular about where we…show affection."

Kaiba had returned the smirk that crossed Yam's lips, and had pulled him down for a much more satisfying kiss. When Yami had pulled away, his nerves were singing with pleasure and he missed what his lover said.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said," Kaiba had replied patiently, "you should move in."

It was a simple enough beginning, really. The next day the Kaiba and Moutou brothers had had dinner together to fully discuss everything as a group instead of as individual couples. Yami began living at Kaiba's house almost immediately; Mokuba took only slightly longer because he had had a business trip. The two of them took their time moving their things. There was no rush, after all. So every time Yami would stop by Yugi's house he'd take a little bit more back to the Kaiba mansion. After a month, everything was almost completely moved.

It was always a shock, walking into the empty bedroom. The closet stood open and empty; his bedsheets had already been moved to the mansion into a room specifically for Yami to use when Kaiba was gone, or when he needed space. His many games, notebooks, and various paraphernalia were gone. There were only three boxes on the floor, and the posters that were remnants of his teenage years.

A part of Yami grieved the loss of his childhood home. He had spent most of his life in this house; even during university, he had chosen to commute to avoid housing fees. He gave a small, fond smile when he looked at the doorway, where he and Yugi had measured themselves as they grew up. If he looked closely at the walls, he could even see the faded scribbles from "strategy meetings" they had held playing games together. This was the end of one chapter of his life, and Yami knew he would miss it. But he also knew that there was something (and some _one_ ) else waiting for him to start again.

The box made it slightly difficult for Yami to maneuver down the stairs, but he managed somehow. Yugi was already waiting for him, wrapped in Mokuba's arms.

"Okay, time for me to get out of here," Yami said, adjusting his hold on the box. "Have a great Christmas you two."

"Try not to give my brother a heart attack," Mokuba told him with a conspiratorial grin. He knew Yami's plans for the night; after all, Yami had wanted to make sure he thought it would be a good idea.

"He doesn't need my help there," Yami replied dryly. "If I didn't watch him, he'd give himself one."

Yugi stepped out of Mokuba's hold and gave his brother an awkward one-armed hug, laughing when Yami almost dropped the box. "Merry Christmas Yami. We'll see you two for dinner tomorrow."

"See you." Yami walked through the door Mokuba so graciously opened, and went straight to his car to put the box inside. Kaiba kept insisting that he use one of the chauffeured cars at the mansion, but Yami preferred to do his own driving when he could. The box was dumped into the backseat, and as he walked around to the driver's side Yami took one more look at the house. The sight of Mokuba and Yugi standing in the doorway waving at him had him smiling the entire ride home.

**X X X**

Snow was falling in gentle waves as Kaiba pulled into his driveway. It had been falling all day, really. Around one it had been heavy, the flakes as big and fluffy as pieces of cotton. He had taken a break for a moment just to watch them; it was rare that snowflakes fell at that size and intensity in Domino City. Sure, they were further north in Japan so the city saw more snow than places farther south, but it was still relatively warm compared to wintry Hokkaido. It normally took hours (even days) for the snow to build up. But for a few hours that afternoon the weather gods had deemed it necessary to coat the city in a deeper blanket of white as soon as possible. The ground had already been a few inches deep in some areas, but now it was even worse.

Kaiba had been careful driving home. He didn't need to hit an ice patch and get into an accident, which was in all honesty very likely in his exhausted state. He'd been at work since early that morning when inspiration and insight had hit him at the same time. He felt a little guilty, leaving Yami alone during the day. His lover had requested the day off three months in advance, and of course no one could refuse. Yami showed up on time, had used none of his sick days, and he worked harder and later than almost everyone else. Although Kaiba knew the gossip ring at the company was already whispering their suspicions of the two of them, no one could accuse him of showing favoritism. Both of them had made sure of that.

He smirked as he remembered the glare his lover had given him that morning when Yami had woken up to the sounds of Kaiba getting ready. He'd been a temptation, his tan skin wrapped in dark blue sheets that pooled around his hips, hair disheveled and dark marks littering his neck. Yami had told Kaiba that this would be the last time he was allowed to work like this on any holiday because if he woke Yami up this early on one again there would be hell to pay. Then he'd thrown an extra pillow at the man and had promptly buried himself in the sheets to get some more sleep for himself.

It felt strange to have someone care that much. Mokuba cared about his health, of course, but he was Kaiba's brother; they both wanted to avoid any ill feelings as much as possible, so it was their habit to not push until the danger was life-threatening. Mokuba might hint that Kaiba needed to stop working so hard, but he would never push until he knew his brother would believe him. But Yami? He didn't care. He always pushed Kaiba, even when it probably wasn't the right time to do so. It had caused a few arguments between them already, arguments that had been settled as soon as they calmed down and talked things over.

"I know you're afraid to make me like Anzu," Yami had told him once. "But I'm not her. I'm not going to let you consume me. I'll just beat you over the head until you see sense. Figuratively, of course."

And he was true to his word. When Kaiba had come down with the flu in October, Yami had all but locked Kaiba inside the mansion. He'd taken away any and all electronic devices except for the TV and its remote control, and he'd had Mokuba notify the company that Kaiba would be home for a few days. Kaiba had put up a fight, but there was really nothing he could do; not when he saw the worry in Yami's eyes, or when his lover had uttered a low, desperate plea for him to just stay home. What could he do when someone he loved so much had that look?

There had also been a few instances when Yami had all but dragged him out of work when it seemed Kaiba would stay behind. Yami would make the effort to come all the way to his office in order to make him leave. Sometimes he would distract him in the best way possible; other times he wasn't so subtle. Like the time he had marched into the room, pushed Kaiba (and his desk chair) away and began packing up Kaiba's belongings. When the CEO had attempted to argue, those crimson eyes had glared at him in warning.

Kaiba spent a lot less time at the company as a result of Yami's efforts. Most of the week he arrived home at a decent hour, with enough time to shower and eat a proper meal before he went to bed. Every now and then, when a large project was underway and a deadline was looming, Yami allowed him to work late. But the other male would keep Kaiba company, and help him with the work as much as he could. He would even enlist Mokuba's help, and between the three of them the work that used to be so time consuming was suddenly easy.

Light began to spill over the snow ahead of him, and Kaiba saw his home looming in the distance with relief. The light was warm and welcoming; a sign that someone was waiting for him. He wasn't surprised by the lights, but he _was_ surprised by the silhouette standing at the bottom of the steps. As he drove up, the lights of his car shown on Yami's figure. He was huddled into his coat -no, in _Kaiba's_ coat, wearing a thick scarf, and his hands shoved into his pockets. Despite the cold, Yami had a smile on his face as the car slowly rolled to a stop and the engine turned off. He was absolutely crazy, Kaiba decided. Certifiably insane. And yet as he exited the car, he couldn't stop the wave of affection that crashed over him. He opened the rear door of the car and pulled out his briefcase, closing the door and then locking it behind him.

"How long have you been out here?" Kaiba asked as he approached his lover.

"Not long; I saw your headlights at the gate, and thought I'd meet you."

He was lying, Kaiba knew; the driveway was long, and it was impossible to see any headlights at the gate because you couldn't even _see_ the gate. Besides, there was a beautiful flush to Yami's cheeks that definitely wouldn't be there if he had just come outside. Something swelled inside Kaiba's chest, threatening to burst.

"Sorry I'm late."

"You'd better be sorry. I was wasting away! Yugi forbid me from eating any of his delicious food until you got back." He gave a mock pout, one that looked absolutely ridiculous on him. Yugi was the only one of the two who could pout and make it work.

"Right. And of course you didn't sneak anything to eat, right?"

"Of course not!"

Kaiba laughed as Yami's pitiful pout transformed into an indignant expression. "Okay, then let's go inside and eat. We can't let Marguerite's efforts go to waste now, can we?" He grabbed Yami's hand, lacing their fingers as he walked up the steps. It was amazing, the difference between the him one year ago and his present self. Last year he had felt so heavy, so full of guilt. He had been overwhelmed by his pain of losing and hurting Anzu. But now? Now he felt amazing. Light. Devoid of any of the negative emotions that had been plaguing him for years. And it was all because of the man beside him.

"She would kill us if we did," Yami confirmed. They reached the door and Kaiba released Yami's hand to open it. "But first…"

His words trailed off, and Kaiba looked at him curious. Which, of course, was his downfall as he was met with a face full of snow. He dropped his briefcase in surprise, cursing as he brushed the cold flakes off his face. "What the hell, Yami?!"

His lover was laughing, that wickedness dancing in his eyes as he dusted off his gloved hands. Removing evidence.

"That's your punishment for making me wait so long," he said.

"Oh really?" Kaiba smirked, and Yami took a step backwards. "Well then, let me return the favor." And as Yami laughed and ran down the stairs, Kaiba scooped snow into his hands and chased after him. He threw it, and the ball hit Yami's shoulder. His lover ran to the other side of the car, crouching low so Kaiba couldn't see him.

"Is that the best you can do?" Yami challenged, his voice breathless. Kaiba didn't respond. He moved slowly, as quietly as he could on the packed snow, around the car towards Yami's hiding place. He picked up some more snow, shaping it so he would be prepared. And then there was weight on his shoulders, and a cold wetness dripping down his neck and into his shirt while laughter rang in his ears.

"Oh that's it," he growled, and he reached out to grab Yami's coat. It slipped through his fingers, but his pull managed to make the other male stumble a little and it bought Kaiba some time. They ran, Yami's laugh echoing through the dark night. Hastily made snowballs were thrown back and forth, each of them getting more and more wet. They moved away from the car, towards one of the leafless maple trees dotting the yard.

Yami ducked behind the tree, out of sight, but Kaiba could still hear his breathless laughter. He wasted no time. He expected the snowball Yami threw, and moved just to the side. But he kept on his path, and with a little effort he gripped his lover's arm and pinned him to the tree. Every breath he took burned with the cold, but he couldn't feel it; not when Yami looked the way he did right now. The flush in his cheeks was more prominent, his chest heaving from the exertion, and his hair in disarray from their "battle."

"Okay, okay," Yami gasped, letting the snow in his hand fall to the ground. He laughed breathlessly again, and tilted his head back to rest against the tree trunk while his eyes slid closed. "I give up."

It was too much temptation. Their difference in height was laughable, but right now it was perfect. It allowed Kaiba to lean down and press his lips against Yami's without having to move the other man. Yami's lips were warm, but rough. He had an annoying habit of refusing to use lip balm until he was in pain. But it was okay. Kaiba soothed the dehydrated lips with his tongue, swiping it over them until he felt Yami shivering beneath him. He pulled back just as those lips began to part.

"I hate you," Yami breathed, his hands coming to settle on Kaiba's waist.

"I know," he replied. He heard a delicious groan leave Yami's mouth just as the hands on his waist tightened, pulling him closer. That smaller body slid just slightly against his own as Yami rose onto his toes, craning his neck up even as Kaiba leaned down to meet him. One of Kaiba's hands moved from the tree to Yami's neck, fingers resting on the gentle curve as their lips met for the second time. They kissed softly, gently; lips brushing against each other over and over. Neither one of them felt the need to hurry, or to deepen it just yet. Kaiba's body was on fire with how much he wanted the man before him, but that was nothing compared to how he felt right now.

They parted only when Yami began to shiver again, and Kaiba knew that this time it wasn't from his own feelings.

"Come on," he murmured against Yami's lips. "Let's go inside." Yami nodded, and took a slow breath. Kaiba stepped back, but wrapped one arm around Yami's shoulders as his lover leaned against his side, seeking any warmth the CEO had to offer. They re-traced their steps back to the front door, stopping just long enough for Kaiba to grab the briefcase he had dropped. Luckily he didn't have a laptop in this one.

Heat washed over them as they opened the door, and both were quick to move inside to keep anymore from escaping.

"You have interesting methods of welcoming me home," Kaiba said. He removed his coat, cold and wet from their game, and hung it up on the coat rack. When he looked at his lover again, he smirked. Yami was indeed wearing his coat, and now there was no snow to really hide the fact that it was significantly longer on his small frame. It almost had the effect of a kid wearing their father's clothes.

"But they're effective methods," Yami replied sweetly. He saw his lover's smirk and shook his head. "Not one word."

"Oh, so two words would be fine then?"

"Smartass." Yami unwound the scarf from around his neck, shivering as the remaining moisture fell from the cloth to drip on his bare skin. "Go upstairs and get some normal clothes on. I'll go get the food ready."

Kaiba nodded. He picked up his briefcase once more and went up the stairs, lights coming on automatically as he did. A few years ago he had decided that having the automatic lights would be more efficient than the standard lighting system. The house was just too big to for him to justify having to turn the lights on (and keep them on) all the time. The main rooms, of course, had the standard lights. But the hallways were another story.

Once inside his room, Kaiba began to strip off his suit. It was one Yami had helped him choose months ago. He could easily remember the look in his lover's eyes when Kaiba had walked out of the dressing room wearing the dark grey suit and the way Yami had run his fingers down the lapels. Honestly they were lucky to have made it out of the store without incident.

Tension that had been building up all day slowly began to escape from Kaiba's shoulders. He had almost been afraid to come home. He had promised himself last year that he wouldn't make the same mistakes he'd made with Anzu. Things had been going well between Yami and him. Even though they had fought a few times, their relationship was still strong. He knew Yami loved him. His head was absolutely certain about that. But there was a small part of him that kept expecting everything to fall apart. It was there, in the corner of his mind, as he worked today. A small but powerful fear that when he arrived home Yami wouldn't be there anymore. Seeing Yami standing in that driveway, obviously waiting for him to come home…it did wonders at caging that fear.

The suit was removed and neatly placed with a small collection of other clothes that needed to be dry cleaned. Kaiba replaced the suit with a pair of comfortable trousers and a blue, long-sleeved T-shirt. Yami had bought it for him, protesting Kaiba's preference for high-collared shirts.

"It's comfortable, and you have nice collarbones. You're getting the shirt. You're going to _wear_ the shirt."

Of course, once the CEO realized how the shirt affected his lover he was more than willing to wear it. Besides, Yami was right: it _was_ comfortable. Kaiba placed his briefcase on the table in the room, and opened it. The expected papers and folders were inside, but lying on top of them was a small package. It was plainly wrapped in brown paper, but Kaiba knew that what lay inside was more important than the packaging. He carefully picked up Yami's present, and he kept a secure hold on it the entire way back downstairs.

The dining room was empty when he entered the room. It was also very dark.

"Yami?" he shouted, something he had never done inside the manor until the other male had moved in with him.

"I'm in the living room."

Confused and a little curious, Kaiba walked to the room Yami had specified. The room was lit not by the harsh glare of electricity, but by the warm and natural glow of the fireplace. The furniture had been pushed back to make room for a blanket, which had been thrown carefully on the floor. Several pillows had been arranged to form makeshift chairs; pillows that Kaiba suspected came from some of the guest rooms. The blanket was a bright red, Kaiba realized, and the pillowcases a deep green. The food had been arranged on plates and placed in the middle. There was _some_ electric lighting, coming from a corner where a small Christmas tree stood. The lights were the multi-colored variety, matching the different ornaments that hung from the branches. And in the middle of all of this sat Yami with a soft smile on his face.

"One word," Yami warned as Kaiba knelt on the blanket, "and you'll be going to bed alone for a very long time."

"So then you already realized it?" Kaiba replied. He placed his gift underneath the small tree to join the one already there.

"Seto…"

The brunette chuckled. Then he leaned forward to give his lover a kiss, ghosting his fingers over Yami's hand until they were interlocked. "So this is what you were up to all day?"

"Kind of. I had a meeting, and then I had to visit Yugi and Ryou before they started their own celebrations."

Yami had talked about Ryou to Kaiba before, so he knew all about their past relationship. He had been more than a little relieved to find that Ryou had his heart set on someone else. The man _was_ beautiful, and Kaiba could easily see the chemistry that still flowed between the two of them. Still, it was nice that Yami had at least _one_ friend that didn't drive Kaiba crazy. If he had had to deal with another Jounouchi or Honda, he might have had to reconsider the relationship. Maybe.

"I'm surprised you didn't try for a picnic in the snow," Kaiba said. He surveyed the setup again, appreciating how simple and comfortable it was. Even the food was light and easy to eat -something he appreciated after a long day of work.

"I thought about it, but…well, I didn't feel like being turned into an ice sculpture today."

"Did you make the food?"

"With Yugi's help. He did the major cooking, I just put it all together."

"Then maybe I chose the wrong brother," Kaiba teased. He watched Yami roll his eyes and start putting together a plate. He noticed Yami was careful to add more vegetables to the plate, with only one sandwich to start with. A few months ago he had declared that Kaiba needed to eat a more balanced diet, mostly brought on by his noticing that Kaiba avoided most vegetables unless they were seasoned and flavored beyond recognition. So far Yami's methods had proven effective; although they only worked when he was around to see Kaiba eating.

"You're going to torture me tonight too?"

"Yes. So make sure you eat all those vegetables, or else Yugi will be heartbroken. He worked so hard to make sure you'd be able to eat them." The sweet smile on Yami's face was a stark contradiction to the steely glint in his eyes.

The threat was effective though. "Yes, mother," Kaiba deadpanned as he accepted the plate. He dutifully ate some of the vegetables first, because he knew Yami wouldn't make his own plate until he was sure Kaiba was eating his. As he had suspected, Yami started to move after Kaiba had taken his second bite of the vegetables.

The food was delicious, of course; no one could deny that Yugi had skill in cooking. In fact, Kaiba would have been willing to pay for the younger twin to go to culinary school if he had wanted it. But it was the effort that made the biggest effect on Kaiba. Yami had obviously been the mastermind, but Yugi had still taken time to provide them with a decent meal. And, judging by the darker-than-usual cookies lying untouched on a plate, Mokuba had even chipped in. That all of them had gone to this much effort for him meant more than he could say.

They continued their meal with small chats about their day. Occasionally Yami had to remind Kaiba to eat the vegetables on his plate and not toy with them, but for the most part dinner was a relaxed affair. When they had both eaten their fill, Yami carefully stacked their plates and took them into the kitchen while Kaiba placed the lids back onto the storage containers that held the food and followed.

Yami was at the sink when he walked in. The older male placed the containers carefully in the refrigerator, then moved up behind his lover and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Yami leaned carefully into him, still washing the dishes.

"Thank you."

"You really are a romantic at heart," Yami teased gently. He gasped when Kaiba bit his neck in retaliation, almost dropping the plate he held. "Seto!"

"Your fault," Kaiba replied smugly. He grunted, however, when a sharp elbow met his ribs.

"Go and relax. I'll be back in a minute."

Kaiba tightened his arms briefly, kissed the soft skin of Yami's neck, and then pulled away. He considered taking one more cookie with him (they really weren't that bad), but decided against it. He was already full; he didn't want to explode. He took a seat on the blanket, close to the warmth from the fire. Kaiba looked at the presents underneath their tree, and he had to smile. While he had chosen to wrap Yami's in purple paper, Yami had chosen to use a dark blue shimmering wrapping paper for his.

"Don't even think about it," Yami said as he walked into the room. "If you touched that before I got in here, I would have to take it back."

"Oh ye of little faith." He held out his hand, and when Yami took it, Kaiba pulled him down. Yami landed with little grace, although neither minded when the position was between Kaiba's legs.

"You're a brute, you know that?" Despite his words, Yami turned around and threw his legs over Kaiba's and around his waist. The position was a little uncomfortable, but it was worth it to see the red that tinged his lover's cheeks. Kaiba cleared his throat, and reached over to grab the presents in an effort to distract himself from just how close Yami was. The blue present remained in his hands while Yami accepted the purple one.

"Open it," Kaiba told him. He was a little nervous, but he was pretty sure that Yami would like the gift. The paper was ripped away unceremoniously, and soon all that lay in Yami's hands was a thick, square book. The cover was leather, with delicate gold details. The legs resting over Kaiba's tightened, and Yami looked up at him. "Look inside," Kaiba told him in a soft voice. So Yami did. The first page was a black and white photo of a young man with Yami's hair style, dressed in overalls and standing in front of a pyramid. Next to that picture was another, of that same man with a beautiful young woman who looked like she was either trying to hug him or choke him. As the pages continued, the young man slowly grew older and the pictures began to change from black and white to color. Another young man and woman began to appear, and then two small children. By the time they got to the last picture, Yami's hands were shaking.

"I thought these pictures deserved someplace to keep them safe," Kaiba told him, putting his own gift down and placing his hands over Yami's. "And I wanted to restore some of the ones of your grandfather. I thought he deserved it."

The next thing Kaiba knew, Yami had surged up and wrapped his arms tightly around his neck, crushing their lips together -and the book between them. Instintively his own arms came up to wrap around the other's waist, pulling him closer. It wasn't the deepest kiss they'd ever had, but he could taste the emotion behind it, and that made it more meaningful. "Thank you," Yami whispered as he pulled away, only to bury his face in Kaiba's neck. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you_."

Kaiba let the emotion work through his lover, slowly rubbing his hands up and down his back. The idea for the present had been a complete accident. He had been helping Yugi and Yami clean up the shop earlier this year, and among all the boxes they moved they had found one filled with old pictures. They had gone through them all, and the brothers had expressed regret that they hadn't found time to put them together properly. Kaiba had, of course, gotten Yugi's permission before taking the pictures out of the house. The younger twin had given his blessing readily, and had almost burst into tears in the middle of his entryway.

"It's a set," Kaiba said after Yami's grip on him loosened. "There were too many pictures to put into one book, so we made two. Mokuba's giving Yugi his tonight."

"The Kaiba Brothers' Double Whammy," Yami joked. The smile he gave Kaiba warmed the CEO more than the fireplace, and he stole one more kiss from his lover.

"Now it's your turn," Yami said when the kiss ended. He picked Kaiba's gift up from where he had dropped it, and gave it back. He seemed shy, all of a sudden, and looked away when Kaiba took the gift from him.

His curiosity rising, Kaiba carefully peeled the wrapping paper off the gift. What was left in his hands was a plain wooden box, stained a dark brown. It was relatively light, but it was about the size of a 500 page hardback book. Kaiba lifted the lid, and what he saw inside made him catch his breath.

The interior of the box was lined with a dark blue velvet material. A small stack of cards was nestled snugly in an indention on the left-hand side of the box. The first card was face-up, and Kaiba recognized it instantly. It was a Blue Eyes White Dragon caricature, first drawn when he was a child years ago by his brother. But the colors on this new card were not the crayons of a lonely young boy, but the deep, vibrant colors of a young man's markers. Kaiba could see the differences even without the originals for comparison. The lines were sharper, the features more defined. It was more recognizable as the creature it was than the old one. Kaiba pulled the stack from the box, and went through the cards one by one. He recognized each and every one of them. Silently, he placed them in their proper formation on the ground beside him. When he was done, the cards formed the shape of a tree.

"I got Mokuba to draw them," Yami told him. "That's why I let you work so late sometimes; so he could go upstairs and copy them without you knowing. At first we thought about taking the originals down and coloring over them…but they're so old we'd probably tear them up. So we decided this would be better."

One hand held the box, but Kaiba's other hand was quick to cup Yami's neck and pull him so that he could kiss him thoroughly once more. That their presents for one another were so similar amazed him, but it was the thought and care Yami had put into this that made his heart beat faster.

"I'll have to thank you properly later," he murmured, pitching his voice deeper just so he could watch his lover blush. And it worked. Yami squirmed in his lap, and then suddenly he stilled.

"You missed something," he said. Kaiba looked back at the box, but all he saw at first was the indention for the cards. Then Yami's hand came into view, and his slender fingers found a small white ribbon on the right side that Kaiba hadn't noticed before. To his surprise, Yami took an obvious breath before he pulled the ribbon. It lifted up a piece of the velvet to reveal a hidden compartment. And all Kaiba could do was stare.

The small space held two rings. Both were simple bands, one silver and one gold. But each one was lined with stones. The silver ring was set with purple stones, and the gold was set with blue ones. Sturdy chains of matching colors had been pushed through the rings, and were pooling in small wells behind the ring holders.

"I know we've only been together for one year," Yami said into the silence. "But god knows I've loved you for a while, and I've known you for years before that. I know most of your sides; the good, and the bad. And I want to get to know the other sides as well." He reached into the box and picked up the silver ring, the chain slipping down through his fingers. "We can't get married; but…we can do something else." Crimson eyes met blue, and Kaiba couldn't look away as his lover adjusted his grip so that he was holding the chain. He unclasped it, and reached up to secure it around Kaiba's neck. "I know I'm not going to want anyone else. You're it." Yami smiled. "Will you give me forever, Seto Kaiba?"

His heart was beating faster than it ever had. This was deliberate. The metal of the rings (silver to match Kaiba's cool skin tone and gold to match the warmth in Yami's), the color of the stones (the colors associated with their lover's favorite card), and the very fact that Yami had been the one to give them…Kaiba looked into Yami's eyes and saw the uncertainty he'd expected to see. The uncertainty he himself had felt several years ago. It was his turn to take a ring into his hand, and his turn to fasten it around Yami's neck.

"I'll give you every life I have," Kaiba answered. It wasn't hard to set the box to the ground, and wrap Yami up closely in his arms. To kiss him senseless right there, with the fire burning lower behind them and the lights on the Christmas tree twinkling. Frantic fingers pushed the lovingly made cards away, pushed everything but each other as far from them as possible.

They'd work out more of the details later. Right now, this moment was for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the epilogue! It's officially the end of this re-posting. I hope you all enjoyed the journey! I'm thinking of writing Mokuba and Yugi's story sometime in the future, but I've got a couple of other projects to work on right now so...yeah. 
> 
> I hope everyone has a great new year!
> 
> If you liked, remember to leave kudos and a comment!

**Author's Note:**

> I first started publishing this story on ff.net almost 7 years ago (2012), as a gift fic to the amazing QuinnAnderson. It took me almost five years, but I finally uploaded the final chapter in 2016. 
> 
> This story IS completed now, and I will be posting up one chapter a week. I hope everyone enjoys, and that it gives you guys the warm and fuzzy Christmas feelings this season!


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